Echoes of What Was
by Angel Leviathan
Summary: Can two teenagers take the steps their parents were denied?
1. New Generation

**Title: **Echoes of What Was

**Author:** Angel Leviathan

**Spoilers:** Anything, everything, **Season 8 spoilers**

**Season:** Timeline starts during Chimera. AU from then on, hence Janet being alive.Disclaimer: SG-1, characters, concept etc, aren't mine. Rei, Jason, etc, are though.

**Notes:** Okay, before anyone says anything after reading this, such as, "How could you?" and, "What are you playing at?" I have to say that not everything has to be SJ. I'm not saying this fic won't ever be, but I'm currently finding it interesting to see what happens when other paths are taken. Hey, I'm still holding out for an SJ ending. For those who don't know, Satra is the goa'uld from the new Stargate 3000 ride, I'm just borrowing her a little early.

* * *

She stood outside the classroom, absently fiddling with her shoulder length, dark brown hair. Checking her appearance for what she felt must have been the hundredth time, she sighed and leant against the wall, waiting for her cue to enter the room. She had never moved schools before, barring the usual grade and school advancements. Now she knew why newcomers always looked so scared. Her mother had tried to reassure her that morning when she dropped her off, but for some reason, her usually confident mother had been apprehensive and jittery about something she wouldn't reveal, and somehow she had transmitted her fear to her daughter. They'd always been close, even though she often saw very little of her mother, but she'd never seen her like that. Distracted, worried, face pale from the clear lack of sleep. She shook her head as she heard the door open, and obediently stepped into the classroom, blue eyes fixed firmly on the floor for a moment, before she glanced up and tried a smile. 

"I expect you all to take care of her until she gets her bearings. I know you all think you're all grown up now, but everybody needs help now and again," the teacher placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Class, this is Rei Shanahan."

Another new one. He barely looked up to acknowledge her presence, knowing he would have little to nothing to do with the new girl. Jason took in her appearance; she looked nice enough. Then again, he could say that about most of the girls in his class. And it was often the ones who looked perfectly innocent that turned out to be the bitches of the year. He looked back down again and recommence doodling on one of his many books. She was going to find it tough. At sixteen, friendship groups had been firmly established. Then again, who knew? The last new girl had become the apparent 'queen of the world' in just a few weeks.

"Take the desk near the back please, Rei, I'm sorry, it's the only space left."

That put her two rows in front of him, who always endeavoured to stay at the back. People expected less of him then. He sighed; it might be nice to show them what he was actually capable of one day. Not that it would impress anybody. Since when had he become so cynical?

Rei fidgeted nervously on the spot for a moment, before she claimed her seat, dropping her bag at her feet and attempting to look as if she were paying attention. Her heart was pounding; she hated standing in front of a crowd. It felt like she was on parade. Her baby sister; now _there_ was somebody who loved attention. Any attention. Just get through today…that was the first step.

"…I'm Nikki…" a dark haired girl to her right leant across, whispering as the teacher's back was turned, "Don't worry, she parades everybody about like that. I expect somebody to start bidding next time," she grinned.

Rei smiled slightly, "I probably wouldn't be worth much," she laughed quietly.

"I don't know," another girl, behind her, smiled, "You made Jay look up, and he hardly ever pays attention to anything," she held out her hand, "I'm Belle."

"Short for Isabelle, not because she's a stunning beauty," Nikki teased her friend.

"Nice to meet you," Rei nervously shook her hand.

"Now, the second world war," the teacher began.

All three girls practically jumped back into 'I'm paying attention, really!' mode, Nikki and Belle hiding a smile, Rei just looking panicked.

Jason shook his head; just another one of the crowd. She'd vanish into it within the first week. Such was life.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but you were the best man-" he paused, "woman, for the job."

"It's okay, Sir," she nodded, "To be honest I was beginning to miss the place."

"Beginning?" Jack blinked, "I'd have thought you'd wither and die without your lab."

"I got a better one," Sam replied, "With nobody trying to throw me out every ten minutes," she tried an uneasy smile.

"Each to their own," he tried to keep the bitter tone from his voice.

She glanced around the office, shifting uneasily in her chair, "So…General…how are things…?" Sam tried, in an overly conversational tone.

"Well, I've had some moron as head of science for the past few years who really pisses me off," he began, "Teal'c has hair, whilst Daniel and the Doc seem intend on populating this Earth with as many scarily intelligent kids as possible."

"Last I heard there weren't any more on the horizon…" Sam frowned, "…Right, Sir?"

"As far as I know, after the trouble with Harriet, they aren't risking it again."

"Good."

Silence.

Oh yes, and more silence.

"…How're you?" she dared to ask, not really wanting the answer.

Jack nodded, "Good. We're all…good. Jay's doing as well as could be expected in school, Kris has finally realised she wants to act, and Tom…well if he ever stops terrorising his classmates it'll be a damned miracle."

"Sounds like my youngest," she wouldn't make eye contact. She never thought she'd be here, talking about children, children that weren't theirs. She had made her choice…and…if she was honest…she didn't regret it as much as she had once thought she would.

"…Kerry does her best with them. I'm not around as much as I want to be. Then again, neither is she. Half the time they're with a minder when they're out of school."

"Pete spends more time with the kids than I do…I wish it was different, but there was nothing I could do…maybe now it'll be different," Sam answered, continuing to talk as it was the only thing she thought she was capable of doing; somehow hurting each other already, barely having been together for half an hour.

"If you stick to the work and don't sleep here every night, then I guess it will be."

"Why exactly did you request my permanent presence here, Sir?"

Jack sighed, "…I want you to take command of SG-1."

She stared, "There is no SG-1."

"When we thought it was over, no, there was no SG-1," he lowered his voice, "…We're about to get our assess kicked all over again, Carter…"

"But the system lords disbanded. None of them had enough power, let alone resources, to even fight amongst themselves…"

"Satra."

"Satra?" she blinked.

"We got the son, we didn't know about the daughter. Apophis, Carter, Apophis' daughter. Apparently been hiding away all these years and has finally decided enough is enough. She can take all the power her ancestors had, and more, and she fully intends to, now there's nobody to stop her," Jack grimaced.

"…And you think by returning to the SGC I can help you at all? When you've already had everybody working on it?" Sam stared, wide-eyed.

"I need you to reform SG-1, Carter. Do it for the thrill, do it for the work, do it for the tech, hell, just do it to save our asses. But I wont force you," he finished, an air of helplessness about him that refused to dispel, "You're the only one I trust not to screw things up."

"I've been gone for sixteen years, General."

"I know. But you're military still, and that says something. They wont have let you get out of touch."

"And? Why me?" Sam asked, exasperated, "I moved my whole family back here!"

"Look, Carter, we need you. I need you. I'm sorry it had to be like this, but you being on side right now seriously raises our chances of actually surviving."

She sat back in her chair, shaking her head, "…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped, Sir. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Rei's starting at her new highschool, and all this…"

"I know. Trust me, I know. I thought it was all over…" Jack sighed.

Sam nodded to herself, before looking up at him, "Daniel and Teal'c are up for this, Sir?"

"Yeah. Ready when you are."

She nodded, again, more slowly, "…I'll do it."


	2. Unexplained Tensions

Notes: Thank you for reviewing. I'd just like to say that declaring that this is wrong, it should be only SJ, and I shouldn't be doing this is only going to make me more determined to get through this. One of the reasons this is being written is to see if I _can_. Oh, yeah, I did think about the age issue. But I figure Sam would only be a few years older than Jack is now, same goes for Daniel and…well…Teal'c never seems to age. Oh, and I really have no idea whether Kerry is a Doctor or not. Sorry.

-

"So, Jay, how many detentions did you manage to total today?" Belle teased, nudging him with her elbow as they wandered to the school gates. Knowing her best friend was uncommunicative at the best of times, she tilted her head and looked up at him, "Well?"

Jason glanced across at her, "None," he answered, tonelessly.

She mulled this over, "Well. None. This means you were actually paying attention for most of the day. Or you were just trying not to piss off your mom again."

He shrugged, "Guess I didn't feel like staying behind today."

Belle stopped dead, taking him by the arm so he was forced to a halt too, "Jay, what's wrong?" she asked softly, brown eyes narrowed in concern.

He shrugged, "Nothin'."

"Don't lie to me."

"Belle Marie Jackson, I'm _not_ lying," he insisted, "I do _good_ for once and you want to know what's _wrong_?"

"Hey," she backed off, hurt, "Cheap shot."

Jason glared at her for a moment, before he sighed and shrugged an apology, "Sorry, Belle," he started walking again, giving his friend a gentle shove to get her moving, ruffling her dark red hair affectionately, "Its just…I don't know. Mom's angry about something. I don't know what it is. Its not me. But she keeps questioning Dad."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged, again, "About someone called 'Carter'. Why has he called them back, why does he need them. And then he just gets angry. Accuses her of not trusting him."

Belle frowned, "…Carter…"

"Yeah," Jason nodded, "…What is it?"

She shook her head, "…I think I know that name from somewhere."

"Well, you're better off than me then."

Another moment's thought brought nothing, "…Can't place it," she shrugged helplessly, "Sorry," Belle tried to change the subject, "What do you think of the new girl?"

"New girl?" he feigned disinterest.

She nudged him again, "Rei Shanahan. History. This morning," she laughed, "Don't say you didn't notice, because I know you did. Whether it was part of your new 'paying attention' routine or not," she grinned slyly at him, "She's pretty isn't she?"

Jason shrugged, "Who knows."

"Jay, we've been best friends since forever. You can at least tell me if you find a girl attractive."

He made a non-committal noise in his throat, "…I guess so."

She sighed, rolling her eyes, "You're as much as mystery now as when we were two."

"I'm doin' good then," he grinned down at her, teasing.

For that, Belle hit him, "Asshole."

"Language."

"Yes, language, Isabelle," her mother was suddenly standing before them.

"…Mom…" the girl uttered, blushing, "…What're you doing here?"

"You two are coming back with me," Janet lifted her youngest daughter of six, Harriet, into her arms, "Your brothers and sisters are already there."

"Why?" Jason asked, following her all the same.

"Your medicals. And Belle can meet her godmother."

"Mommy! You lied!" Harriet cried out, knowing full well what a medical entailed. Each of the O'Neill and Jackson children had been through numerous regular health checks since birth, to ensure that nothing that had affected their parents had repercussions for their children.

"She got you with the candy store story again, Harrie?" Belle fell into step with her family.

Harriet nodded mournfully, blue eyes shining with unshed tears, only just visible through the long fringe of her raven hair (nobody knew where she got _that_ from), as the girl pondered whether or not to try pulling the 'crying' card.

"Mommy's mean."

"Mommy's doing it for your own good," Janet insisted.

Belle frowned, "Godmother?"

"Sam Carter."

"Carter?" Jason's eyes widened.

"Yeah, she used to work with your Dad and I," she explained, "Years ago. I haven't seen her in so long…since your christening, Belle."

Her eldest daughter opted to remain silent, noticing the sudden dark expression on her friend's face. Evidently the name of Carter was already causing trouble in his household.

Jason followed Janet, mute. Carter, eh?

-

"Rei! You're home!"

Rei dumped her schoolbag on the floor as soon as she stepped inside, breathing a sigh of relief.

"What took you so long?" her fourteen year old sister demanded.

"…I got the wrong bus," she admitted, "Just don't tell Dad. Or Mom. They'll just worry. I've been halfway across town and back today."

Annika rolled her eyes, "Learn to read the timetable, Rei."

"That's easy for you to say. You like numbers. I don't. And besides, you wait, you start tomorrow, so we'll see how you do," the girl walked straight past her, headed for the kitchen, suppressing the urge to wipe the smug grin off her sister's face. Annika was the smarter of the two of them. Her father always claimed that she, Rei, got the curiosity to make up for it. Not that it helped her. She took a glass down from the top cupboard, filling it with water at the tap.

"So, how was it?" Annika seated herself at the kitchen table.

"…Interesting…"

"As in…?"

"As in I don't know yet. I've only been there a day. Met some nice girls though. Belle and Nikki; they're in my History class," Rei elaborated.

"Cool," her sister replied, nodding her approval, "Sit down," she ordered, "I even made you cookies," she gestured to a plate on the table.

"Thanks," she exhaled, practically collapsing into a chair. Cookies. Maybe Annika did care after all, "Where's Rob and Paul?"

"Dad's gone to pick them up from school," Annika made a disgusted face, "I don't see why we all have to go to different schools."

"Because you got a scholarship and I didn't," Rei replied, "and the twins are too young to go to highschool," she bit into a cookie, "…I wonder how Mom's doing at work…"

"She's probably into sentences involving many numbers and complicated words by now."

"You wait. That'll be you one day."

Annika's eyes widened in panic, "No way!"

-

"Sam!" Janet took a step back, seeing her old friend perched on one of the beds in the Infirmary, "The General said you were going to be at the SGC today," she hesitated not a moment longer and hurried to embrace her friend.

Sam grinned, "Been a long time," she hugged Janet tightly.

"Too long."

"I've been catching up with that husband of yours."

"Ah. Him," Janet smiled.

Jason stood at the door with the horde of Jackson children, frowning as his sister and brother ran down the corridor to meet them.

"Sorry we're late," thirteen year old Kris breathed, "Got caught up in-"

"We were playing on the PS4," Tom, their younger brother, admitted for her.

"Hey!"

Jason practically ignored them, exchanging a concerned glance with Belle, "…That's Carter?"

"…I guess so…" she shrugged.

"Belle, come and meet your godmother," Janet called.

She gripped Jason's shoulder for a moment, stepping away from him and into the Infirmary. She approached with caution, with the expected shyness of a child meeting somebody for the first time, "…Hi…I'm Belle…" she held out her hand in a formal manner.

Sam smiled down at her, shaking her hand, "Hey, Belle. I'm your godmother, Sam," the smile turned into a grin, "I haven't seen you since you were a baby…"

Belle smiled nervously, "…I wouldn't remember…"

"You have a beautiful daughter, Janet," she continued, making the girl blush.

"Mommy, Mommy, I want to see Samantha!" Harriet's high pitch cry rang through the Infirmary, another of her sisters biting back a burst of laughter.

"Wait, wait-" Belle held up a hand, "You have to meet Jay."

Jason could have killed her at that moment. He wanted more time to see how this 'Carter' reacted.

"Jay?" Sam frowned, knowing the name, but not making the connection for several seconds, "…Oh…" she uttered, "…Jay-"

"Jason O'Neill," he stepped forward and walked to stand beside Belle, holding out his hand, as she had done.

She kept nodding, as if she could do nothing more, "…Jason O'Neill," she took his hand, "Its good to meet you," her voice grew quiet, "You look very much like your father."

"And his mother," an older, feminine voice added.

Sam looked up, not missing a beat, her heart suddenly racing faster, suddenly feeling guilty, knowing she had no reason to be, "Doctor O'Neill."

"Colonel Carter," Kerry greeted, arms folded across her chest, "Its good to have you back with us," she managed to state in a civil fashion.

Sam was suddenly grateful for the impatience of Harriet, who raced toward her, bringing the rest of the Jackson children with her. She had known it would be like this. But what could she do? She loved her children and she loved her husband. She couldn't change the past.

Jason sighed. _That_ tone in his mother's voice was back. So much for figuring out why. And so much for figuring out Carter.   
-


	3. Best Laid Plans

**Notes:** 5am! I'm getting worse. Anyway, before I fall asleep on my keyboard, thank you for reviewing. As some people have said, yes, I know there are a lot of children. By not introducing them **all **at once, I'm trying to make it less confusing. Teal'c does indeed have some descendants of his own, but, again with trying not to make it any more confusing. Hmmm, I don't think Kerry is a doctor of anything, but in sixteen years, I'd say she'll have had the time to work up to it. As for her attitude, she has her reasons, trust me.

-

"…Okay, you got me," Belle stated, dumping her schoolbag on her chair and taking a seat on the table, "Why doesn't your mom like Sam?"

"Carter," Jason corrected her, not looking up from the sketch he was making in the back of his book.

"Okay, Carter," she shrugged, "But she's 'Sam' to me…I guess…Mom considers her family…" the girl shook her head, "It was one of those 'all too polite' conversations."

He looked up, "She seemed alright at home. Then again, Kris was creating hell with her science project, so…"

Belle grinned, "I'm surprised your dad doesn't go nuts."

"I think we've both learnt to block it all out…hey, at least she hasn't pulled another cake baking fiasco…"

"We got a lot of cakes out of that," Nikki's voice made them both jump, "Okay, so most of them were burnt, but it was better than nothing at all," she too sat on her desk, and began to rummage through her bag, "…I have to finish filling in that careers form…" she muttered.

Belle's eyes widened, "Oh crap!" she jumped off her desk, sweeping her hair behind her ears as she did so, lunging for her bag, "Crap, crap, crap!"

"Belle strikes again," Jason laughed, "Come on, you know what you want to do with your life."

"Yeah, but I don't have good enough _reasons_," she stressed, glaring at him, clearly stating, 'reasons that I'm 'allowed' to mention'.

He winced, "…You got me there."

"Huh?" Nikki looked up, "What?" she began chewing on the end of her pen.

"Nothing, Ki," Belle shook her head, slamming the blue form that was required for their later interviews down on her desk.

"Uh-huh…" their friend clearly didn't need an answer, already desperately scribbling on the form, in much the same fashion as Belle.

Jason smiled, shaking his head, already having filled in the form. He knew all he had to put down was 'Air Force' and there would be few questions asked. They needed USAF officers. He wouldn't have to say he wanted to defend the planet, just the country. And, with it on record that both his parents worked in 'a' military facility…it all pretty much guaranteed his interview would be short. He and his parents would go about his application to the academy, not the school. He leant back in his chair, and it was then he noticed the new girl at the door, looking rather lost.

Rei glanced inside, scanning for anybody she knew. She was sure it was the room she had gone to the day before…

"Over here," Jason found himself saying, before he even thought it.

She took a step back, tucking a strand of light brown hair behind her ear, evidently a nervous habit. Her eyes widened and she smiled slightly as she caught sight of Belle and Nikki, not quite sure who the boy was. John? Josh? Jay…Jason! Rei nodded and walked slowly over, uncertain.

Nikki waved, gesticulating with the chewed pen she still held, "Heya, Rei. You filled in your careers form?"

She stopped dead, luckily beside her desk, "…Careers…form…?"

Belle shook her head, "Ki, she won't have one."

"But I'm sure I saw her name on the list!"

Rei held her hands up, terrified she'd already missed something important, "…List…?"

Jason decided to put her out of her misery, "Its our class's turn for careers interviews. They want to make sure we have 'direction', and if we don't, they intend to make sure we do by the end of the week."

"…So I just have to tell somebody I know what career path I want to take?"

"And justify it."

She collapsed into her chair, "…I can do that," she nodded, more to herself than anybody else, "Thank you," she smiled at Jason, through sheer relief.

"No problem," he blinked and shook his head ever so slightly, having caught himself staring at her.

Belle smirked, but kept her comments to herself, and feigned great interest in the form once more.

-

"She claims Apophis as her father and the seat of power as her birthright," Daniel punched in a command on the laptop computer to display a type of ship Sam had never seen before.

She glanced around, and, not seeing anybody else bat an eyelid, coughed, "Erm…excuse my denseness…but what is that?"

"Her mothership," Jack replied, "the mothership of all motherships," he quipped.

"We're working on the assumption that her Jaffa and Goa'uld underlings are working for her more out of fear than devoted loyalty," Daniel commented, "Or at least, that's what we're hoping."

"We have never been successful in liberating even a small number of her Jaffa," Teal'c added, "most individuals appear to believe she will find them wherever they flee, and exact punishment for abandoning their goddess."

"But that's bull," Jack muttered.

"The fact remains that anyone serving on that ship, deployed as troops or not, is either well and truly brainwashed or too scared to step a foot out of line," Daniel shrugged.

"So the two Tok'ra spies the Alpha site planted are doing a good job of feigning blind loyalty," Kerry nodded.

"We planted Tok'ra spies? Us?" Sam frowned.

"Desperate measures, Colonel," she replied. She might as well have said, 'keep up, will you?'.

"I thought we didn't agree with that."

"Times change."

Jack coughed, "Anyway. We've got one pretty high up in the ranks. Second of the 'underlings', if you will. But its not as if we can just slap some C4 on her and ask her to go on a suicide mission."

"The shielding about Satra's person would render that technique ineffective," Teal'c stated.

The General sighed, "I was kidding, T."

"…So what exactly do we intend to do?" Sam asked, folding her arms.

"She has a daughter," Daniel informed her, "Goes with her everywhere, is barely let out of her sight. She even bears the title, 'God's Wife of Amun'," seeing the blank looks from around the table, he continued, "Important title for a woman to bear, trust me on that one. She's basically trying to ensure that people understand the legitimacy of her daughter, from the ancient line of Goa'uld, back to Ra. Egyptian queens were given the title, particularly in the eighteenth dynasty; Ahmose-Nefertari, for example-"

"Daniel!" Jack interrupted.

"Jack?"

"…We get the point."

"…Right. Okay, well, the plan is to somehow capture her daughter. Even if we can only use her as a bargaining chip for now. With no legitimate heiress to her power, Satra will most likely realise that she's a much more inviting target for any enemies. With nobody to strike back after her death…why not take a shot at her?" Daniel finished.

Sam nodded, slowly, "…So…we get her daughter…how exactly…"

"We're working on it," Kerry answered.

"You're working on it?" she gaped. She had hoped for a plan of action.

"Yes, Colonel, we're working on it. This is more than a desk job now."

Sam didn't dignify that with an answer.

-

"You found it then?"

"…Yeah. I think I annoyed half the year by asking for directions every five minutes…" Rei sat down in the vacant chair outside the small office.

"I thought Belle was going to show you the way?"

She shrugged, "She forgot our timetables clash. She doesn't take German…somehow she already has a qualification in it…"

Jason only just managed to stop himself smiling, "She studied for it, she deserved it," he answered, "Damned stubborn of her."

She shifted in her seat, "I didn't know you had your interview now."

"Rescheduled. Was supposed to be later this afternoon," he didn't offer further explanation.

Rei nodded and caught sight of the form in his hand, "…What do you want to do?"

"Air Force," he stated, "Always wanted to."

She tilted her head, blue eyes wide, "…Really?"

"Yeah," Jason frowned, "Why?"

"That's what I'm going in for too. End of the year, when I hit seventeen."

Air Force? That girl? What made her want to sign up? He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"My Mom's a Colonel in the USAF," Rei continued, "I probably wont do as well as she has, but I want to give it a shot. I want to help."

Jason mulled this over, "Same reason I want to, I guess. Give something back. Take an active part of the defence of this wo-" he stopped himself, "country. My Dad's a General."

"Wow," she smiled, "…I didn't know we had so much in common. I wouldn't have taken you as the USAF type…I hope you don't think I mean that in an offensive way…"

"Nah, its alright," he sat up straight, "To be honest, you don't strike me as the type either."

Rei laughed, "I like to surprise people."

"O'Neill, Jason," a young woman stuck her head round the door as another student left, "and you even have your form," she teased.

He stood and glanced back at Rei, "I like to surprise people."

-


	4. Revisited

Notes: Thanks for reviewing. In answer to a question; Sam's last name is still Carter, its just the children who have their father's last name.

__

-

"Rei? I'm sorry honey, I can't get by to pick you up today. I know I said I would, but I just can't get back in time, I have to work."

"Its okay, Mom," Rei smiled, even though she knew her mother couldn't see her, "I'm old enough to find my way back. Have been doing all week!" she winced, knowing her last words sounded harsh.

__

"…I'm sorry. I know I said I'd try-"

"Mom, really, its fine. Just don't expect any of Annika's cookies to be left when you get home!" the girl laughed and leant back against her locker.

Belle halted in the corridor, hearing her new friend's voice. She turned back and headed toward her, head tilted in inquiry.

"_I'll be home in time tomorrow night, I promise."_

"Bring chocolate!" Rei laughed, "Bye, Mom," she hit the 'disconnect' button on her phone and finally looked back at Belle, "My Mom," she explained, "Working late."

She raised her eyes to the heavens, "I know the feeling. I know the whole routine."

"Comes with the territory I guess," Rei slammed the door to her locked shut, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"Air Force and all."

Belle blinked, "Your Mom's in the Air Force?"

"Yeah, she's a Colonel," Rei smiled proudly.

"Neat," the girl nodded, "My Mom's a doctor."

"We know where you get your brains from then!" she teased.

Belle blushed, "…I…I'm not…I mean really…" she shook her head, "Well, if your Mom's gonna be home late then you're not going to be missed just yet, right?"

"My sister should already be home…brothers wont be until Dad picks them up…unless there's a crisis, the world's about to end and I need to say my final goodbyes, I doubt it."

__

"Wait until you've seen a mothership descending…" the eldest Jackson child thought, somewhat bitterly, _"Then you'll know the meaning of wanting to say goodbye…"_

"…Belle?" Rei was frowning down at her, concerned expression on her face, "…What's wrong? What did I say? I'm sorry-"

"Hey, no, no," she laughed, a little nervously, "Well, if you want, you can come over to mine until somebody can take you back home. I'm sure Mom wont mind; Dad's not usually back until late evening anyway."

"…Are you sure? Nobody's going to mind?"

"I wouldn't ask if I thought they would."

"…Okay…" Rei nodded, "That'd be great."

-

"Perk up, Carter, its not the end of the world," Jack commented, seeing Sam staring at the phone in her hand, seated beside the bench in her lab.

She jumped, stunned by his sudden appearance, "I'm sorry, Sir."

"Barely back and you're already in your old haunts."

"Force of habit," Sam looked away.

"…You could've told me you were transferring…" he said quietly, finally addressing the issue they'd been trying to avoid.

"It wasn't necessary to tell you until it had all gone through," she replied, not looking up at him.

"Yeah, but going behind my back? To _my _CO?"

"…You would've tried to talk me out of it…" Sam uttered softly.

"Damn right I would have!"

"What did you expect me to do? I was pregnant! I didn't want to risk my child, my children, losing their mother. And don't you dare say anything about risks and what we signed up for; I know the pain of losing your mother all too well…" she finally looked back at him, glaring, "I didn't want my kids having a cold military base as their second home, Sir."

"You still could have said something before the paperwork hit my desk!" Jack snapped, exasperated, "My kids are fine! Daniel's kids are fine! Nothing wrong with them, growing up here!"

"Yeah? And what would you be saying if he was dead? What would you be saying if Kerry was dead? You know if you had had the choice you'd have wanted to raise your kids somewhere where they could lead a normal life and you were still able to make a difference."

Jack leant against the desk, "You and I both know this conversation has nothing to do with duty or any of our children."

Sam glared defiantly back, daring him to raise the subject.

__

"I'm being transferred. I requested it several weeks ago, I'm sorry I neglected to tell you, Sir," she stood before his desk, looking down at him yet straight through him.

"What the hell is this, Carter?" he stared.

"I have to go," she stated.

"What kind of reason is that? Why?" Jack demanded.

"I want to be safe. I want my child to be safe," she replied with lines of what she believed to be a undeniably logical argument.

"We need you here. You know you can take maternity leave whenever you want-"

"I know that, Sir, I just don't think having a family and risking my life everyday is a situation a child should be brought into. And if I have to choose between the SGC and my baby…no matter how much I may love this life…my baby wins. My family wins, Sir."

"You can't go, Sam," Jack stood, "I need you here."

She backed away, "And that's why I have to go. You have Kerry, Sir, I'm sure I won't be missed."

He narrowed his eyes, "Is that what this is about?"

Sam remained silent, staring straight ahead.

"Is that what this is about?" he repeated, "Carter! What the hell is this? You married Pete! You're carrying his child!"

"I love him!" she shouted.

"But not as much as you love me!" he dared to retort.

Fire blazed in her blue eyes, "That doesn't matter. That stopped mattering the moment we began different paths."

"I need you here, Sam."

You_ need me here? Or General O'Neill needs me here?"_

He looked away, "If I loved you any less then I'd let you walk out that door, no questions."

Sam gazed back at him sadly, "And that's why I have to go. I wont do this. I wont live on what could have been. I wont do that to him…and I wont do it to my child."

"So this is it?" he questioned, helpless.

"This is it," she nodded, "…We knew we'd get here eventually. We'd end up doing this to each other. She loves you. Love her like she deserves to be loved. And I'll love Pete."

"…Going to keep telling yourself that…?"

Sam smiled slightly, "Yes. Because despite the past…my future is with him. And yours is with her," she closed the distance between them, about to kiss his cheek, changing her mind at the last minute, brushing her lips briefly against his, "Its better this way," she turned to leave, "I'll be gone by morning."

The door didn't close behind her.

Kerry smiled at Jack as she stepped into his office, "Why the sad face?" she followed his line of vision to the retreating form of Sam Carter, "You know, some people might doubt whose baby that is."

That snapped him back to reality, "What do you mean by that?" he demanded, a little too harshly.

"Hey," she held up her hands in defence, "I'm just kidding!" she wrapped her arms around him, "You need to relax more."

She wasn't kidding.

She had seen the whole confrontation through the glass window of his office.

But she kept silent.

Because she loved him.

Sam stood up, "Don't revisit the past, Sir. We each know we're on unsteady ground. What's done is done. I have no regrets. If you'll excuse me, I'll be in Daniel's office, Sir."

All Jack could do was stare after her as she walked away, again, _"…Truly no regrets, Sam?"_

-


	5. Discoveries

Notes: Sorry guys, I know its been ages. Uni and exams and coursework and blah! Anyway, I have to say this so nobody convinces themselves of it: _Rei is not Jack's child._ Thanks for the support!

-

"I should never have come back," Sam stated, voice emotionless as she sat down opposite Daniel's desk, sweeping aside some random objects so she could rest her head on it.

"What's he done now?" he asked, the two of them slipping easily back into their old habits, as if the past sixteen years hadn't existed.

"…Nothing…" she sighed. She rested her head on her elbows, "…Everything!" she snapped.

"Are you going to elaborate or am I going to have to piece this together word by word?" Daniel looked up from what he was writing and tilted his head in inquiry.

She sighed again, "…Do you guys really need me here, Daniel? I mean, did you _really _have to call me back?"

"In all honesty? Yes."

"Why?"

"Because there was always something missing without you. And not just your mind. Sure we've kept the Goa'uld at bay, taken a few more of them out…but it was tough. We needed you then too," he shrugged, "It just seemed wrong…we all grew apart…Jack doesn't do the talking thing so much anymore, not that he ever really did. But when you left he really shut down."

She reached across the table to touch his hand, "Daniel, you know I had to leave, right? Can you imagine what it would've been like if I'd stayed?"

"It would've been difficult for a while, I understand that. But maybe you could have worked past it."

"…Do you hate me for it?" Sam asked softly.

He shook his head and exhaled slowly, "I could never hate you, Sam. You're my sister. I just wished people could have tried harder…all of us."

She smiled slightly, "Couldn't you guys have just come for a visit or something?" she joked.

"That'd be the easy way," he returned the smile, "and you know we don't do that around here," he entwined his hand with hers, "It'll get easier, Sam. Just give it time."

"…I hope so…" Sam shook herself and took a deep breath, "Right. Satra. Daughter of. How're we going to ambush her?"

-

"…But then they tried to make us do math…I don't like math…" Harriet mumbled as she walked along beside her sister and brother, Rei accompanying them.

"Better than making us read boring books!" John shot back at her.

"Books aren't boring!" she wailed.

"Alright, kids, break it up," Belle smiled and shot a grin at Rei as they reached their house, "Go join the rest of the horde," she released the children's hands and let them run to the front door, laughing as they fought to get in first. It was then she noticed the boy on the steps, "Jay, what're you doing here?" she questioned, as they approached him.

"Cant a boy visit his best friend?" Jason feigned hurt.

"No," she smiled.

"Fine, I'll go…" he began to move off, slowly, affecting a slouch and gave a sniff.

"Meh," Belle grabbed him, "You know we love you."

"Better," he shot a grin at her and looked back at her companion, "Heya Rei."

"Hi," Rei replied, almost shyly.

"Did she warn you about the horde? You're about to get mauled, you know…"

"He's exaggerating," Belle insisted, "…Really…"

"We'll see," she laughed and grabbed Rei with her free arm, "We'd better go fight them for the cookies," she dragged her friends along as she entered her home, "Kids! I'm home!" she called.

"'Elle, my backpack's ripped-"

"He pushed me!"

"We're out of milk!"

"-Help me with my homework?"

"-Wont give my pen back!"

"Belle, make him stop!"

"-Message on the answer phone."

"Make her take that back!"

"ALRIGHT!" Belle shouted about the noise of her siblings, Rei staring in shock and Jason grinning as if it were a normal occurrence. She took a deep breath, "Right," she began, "Get Mom to give you the money to buy a new one, John, don't push Harriet again, I'll go get some milk in a minute, Rachel, Ill help with your homework later tonight, Tim, stop what you were doing to your brother, I'll check the answer phone and Katherine, if you said what I think you said you're in trouble, young lady!"

Her brothers and sisters just stared at her, wide eyed, in silence, before they filtered off into their different groups to different areas of the house, muttering amongst themselves.

"Now that's dealt with…" Belle exhaled, "Welcome to the madness, Rei."

"Nicely done," Jason smirked. He leaned back and past Belle to tap Rei on the shoulder, "Run whilst you can…" he said, in a loud stage whisper.

She laughed, "I can't leave you here to face this alone!"

"Alright, alright, now you two are done cavorting behind my back, shall we go get some cookies?" Belle whirled round and regarded her friends with a raised eyebrow.

"Been taking lessons from somebody?" Jason mimicked her.

"I'm not going to ask…" Rei hid a smile.

He nudged her, "Best not to."

"Ugh! Come on, guys!" Belle threw her arms up and walked ahead to the kitchen, leaving them just inside the front door.

"After you," Jason quipped, sweeping his arms out before him.

"Thank you, kind sir," she giggled and followed Belle.

He stared after her for a couple of seconds, then shook his head, _"…Barely know the girl…don't even think…too late…" _

-

"You know if Jay goes through with this USAF thing-"

"They're gonna want him for Atlantis," Jack nodded, "I know. If only for the gene."

"And you'd let him?" Kerry frowned.

"It'll be his decision," he stated.

"You'd let your son go fight those horrific wraith in another galaxy?"

"If he makes the choice then yes," he slipped an arm around his wife, "you know he'd hate us if we tried to stop him. You know that either way he'll end up involved with the Stargate somehow."

"Aren't you afraid for him?" Kerry whispered, "I mean…he's just a kid…"

He stared at the floor, "…We send kids like him into this battle all the time…"

"But he's _our_ kid."

"…I know…" Jack said softly, "…You know how much I tried to dissuade him in the first place…but…I think he'll do well…I know how you feel, but if its what he wants to do…then we have to let him go…"

She leaned closer to him, "…But not just yet."

"No," he agreed, "…Not just yet."

-

"LET GO OF ME!"

A high pitched shriek met the ears of the three teenagers in the kitchen, making Belle jump down from the metal stool she was seated on, "Damnit, Rachel, what're they doing to you _now_?" she mumbled, "Excuse me, guys," she threw a weary grin over her shoulder before she ran from the kitchen.

"Happens all the time," Jason gave a mock sigh.

"I don't know how she can live with all this going on around her…" Rei smiled.

"Earplugs," he grinned.

"Must be the answer."

"So, what'd they say about you wanting to join the USAF?" he asked.

She shrugged, "As long as I get good enough grades, there's nothing to stop me," she glanced down at the floor, "…I'm nothing special. Its not as if I could go and change the world, or excel in some branch of science and save millions…at least this way, I'd get to help people," Rei shook her head, "My sister got the brains of the family," she tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear and looked back at him, "What about you?"

"Same as I said before, just to help people. I don't have the attention span to go the distance in every class…some of it just wont go in…" he laughed under his breath, "I try though. I guess its in the background, both parents working in a military base and all. Grew up with it, even if they did try to put me off when I suggested it to them."

"I'd just be afraid of making a situation worse…I know I'd have to follow orders, even if I didn't agree with them…

"Hopefully you'll get a CO you can get along with," he offered her a half smile, _"And hopefully, one day you'll know what I know…"_

"Who knows? Maybe things wont turn out like I plan," Rei shrugged.

Jason caught her hand across the table, "Don't give up so easily. You've got a goal, go for it. Nobody can stop you."

She tried a smile, "At least there'll be someone I know!"

"Yeah…" he couldn't tear his eyes from hers.

Rei noticed, with a slight frown, "Jason…?" she didn't look away.

"…I…"

"…You…?" she answered softly, _"Don't think about it, don't think about it, you don't know him!"_

He leant across the table, only to jump back when a figure entered the room.

She blinked in shock and took her hand from his.

"Hello, Jay," Janet Frasier placed a small bag of shopping on the floor, "Thought I'd get back early to spend some time with everyone," she smiled, used to finding him in her house, "Who's your friend?" Janet raised her voice, "Belle! Who've you dragged back here now?" she joked.

"…I-I'm Rei Shanahan," Rei finally found her voice.

Janet's eyes widened, "Rei Shanahan?"

"…Yes."

Belle ran into the kitchen, "Mom, Rei, Rei, Mom," she said breathlessly, reclaiming her seat.

"You must be Sam's daughter!"

"…I…"

"Sam Carter?" Janet questioned.

"Yeah, she's my Mom," Rei smiled, "How do you know her?"

"I work with her at the USAF base," she replied, unsure of just how much the girl knew.

Jason could only stare. Carter. Rei Shanahan. Sam Carter. Daughter. No way. _No way._ This girl was the daughter of the woman his mother was so suspicious of? Distrusted his father with? Carter? Blonde woman he'd met in the Infirmary. Colonel. Didn't want anything to do with her. He stood up, "I have to go," he stated, eyes wild.

"Jason?"

"Jay?" Belle frowned.

"I'll see you later, Belle," he walked straight past her, "Thanks, Janet," he nodded to her on the way past, disappearing as quickly as he could.

"…What's that about?" Janet questioned.

Belle gazed across the table at Rei, who was staring back at her in shock, wondering what she'd done, "…Nothing, Mom…its nothing…"

Jason down the steps of his best friend's house and stopped.

Rei.

Carter.

Rei Carter.

He shook his head and started off again.

Shit.


	6. Web of Lies

Notes: I'm sorry, its been ages. Been very busy. Thank you for reviewing, I'll try and update quicker, but I've got a lot of work to do.

-

"W-What was that about?" Rei questioned as Belle closed her bedroom door behind her.

Belle shook her head, exhaling slowly as she leant back against the door, "…Why didn't you tell us your name was Carter?"

"Because it isn't?" she perched on the end of the bed, eyes wide and whole body tense, honestly worried about what she'd supposedly done that had made her two friends react in such a way.

Belle sat down on the bed beside her, tilting her head back to shift her red hair from her face, "…I've met your mom, Rei…" she admitted.

The girl frowned, "How? How is that possible? How does your mom know mine?"

She sighed again, "You know they're both in the USAF?"

"You told me your mom was a doctor!"

"She _is_," Belle nodded, "In the US Air Force. Your Mom…she's my godmother."

"What?" Rei yelped. She shook her head, "What's going on? Why didn't I know any of this? How is this even possible?"

"…I don't know…" she decided white lies would be better than revealing something that her new friend didn't know, "…All I know is, our parents used to work together, and they do again. Our mothers were best friends. Your mom moved away before we were born…Mom always spoke kindly of her…she missed her…I think they may have seen each other a couple of times since…"

"So how come we didn't see each other?"

Belle shrugged and sighed again, "I don't know. Maybe we did when we were little and can't remember. It's not as if we would."

"…This is so confusing…" Rei uttered softly, "…I don't understand…" she frowned, "Why did Jason react so badly to finding out who my mom was?"

"…I don't know that either…" she lied again, "He met your mom too. You see, he and I have sort of grown up on that base, like the rest of our families. My mom introduced her to us…" Belle was starting to feel increasingly guilty, "…Look, Rei…"

"You're mad at me too, aren't you?"

"Of course not! Don't start something like that!" she exclaimed, exasperated, "Look…we're never going to get the full story from anybody. Yes, I know things you don't…but I don't know if anything is true or not…I wont tell you something I don't know as the truth. Jay has his reasons, and I have mine."

"Belle, please, I need to know what I've done…I don't want to lose your friendship, or Jason's…" Rei pleaded, panic in her eyes.

She reached across for her hand, "…As far as I know, _you _haven't done anything, Rei. I don't understand what's going on myself."

"…So all our parents work together in the military base…?"

"Seems that way. My Mom and Dad, his parents, your mom…"

"What're they all doing there?" she frowned, "I didn't think deep space radar telemetry was that fascinating…"

Belle managed a convincing shrug, hoping Rei wouldn't start questioning why a doctor was needed there, "Guess they're all into it," she shook her head, "…All I know is that our parents are all linked somehow…and I guess that makes us linked too…like I said, I don't think we'll ever get a full story," a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes, "Why are you so worried about what Jay thinks of you anyway?"

Rei blushed, "…I-I'm not…"

"Yeah, right. You can tell me."

"I barely know him…"

"And he barely knows you…"

The dark haired girl frowned, "…I think he might have…tried to…"

"Yes…?" Belle pressed.

"…Kiss me…"

"Heh. I knew it!"

"What?"

"I knew he was attracted to you," she grinned.

"What?" Rei repeated. She sighed, "…Well, whatever he thought…it sure won't be there anymore…it was like there was hatred in his eyes…what have I done?" she asked softly, again.

"You haven't done anything, Rei," Belle assured her, "Just let him get his head straight. Give him some time…I think we all need some time to figure this out…I'll be asking Mom some questions later…" she stood up, with a smile, "What say we go fight the kids for those cookies again?" she tried to cheer her companion up.

Rei weakly returned the smile, "Sounds like a plan."

-

Jason slammed the front door of his home closed, startling his mother, who rushed to the door, concerned.

"Jay, what's wrong?" Kerry questioned.

He looked rather shocked himself, "…I…er, sorry, I didn't think anyone would be home."

"Your brother and sister are at their friends' places," she replied, "And don't try changing the subject, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he dumped his schoolbag on the floor, "Nothing's wrong."

"Jay-

"Nothing's wrong, Mom," he insisted.

"Jason O'Neill stop acting like your father and come talk to me," Kerry chided, "Come on, I'll make you something to eat," she headed off to the kitchen.

Jason sighed and reluctantly followed, taking a seat in one of the chairs round the kitchen counter, "What're you doing home?" he asked.

"You'd think you didn't want me here."

"Mom, you know that's-"

"Things must be bad," Kerry took a plate down from one of the top cupboards, "You can't take a joke."

He laughed quietly, despite himself, "Alright, alright…"

"So what's wrong?" she repeated, quietly.

He looked down, "Nothing, Mom, just teenage stuff."

She wandered across to the fridge, "Teenage stuff as in 'I've fallen out with a friend and I'm too stubborn to apologise', as in, 'leave me alone, I hate you' or teenage stuff as in 'girls'."

Jason remained silent.

"Girls it is then."

"Mom!"

"Alright, I'll leave you to it. Doesn't look like I'll get an answer anyway," she began making a sandwich, "But if you start pining, I'll have to get all motherly again and embarrass you."

He managed a smile, "Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime," she answered, "But at least tell me her name."

Jason paused, cautious, "…It's Rei…"

"Short for Rachel?"

He kept quiet.

So she just assumed.

"…Mom…" Jason began, "…Why don't you trust Carter?"

Kerry laughed softly, "Of course I trust Carter."

"No," he replied, "You don't. I've heard what you've said. I met her, I want to know why. Did you two have an argument back when you knew each other or something?"

"No," she shook her head, "Of course not. We've always got on just fine."

Jason sighed. He'd never get the truth.

His mother turned away to the kitchen sink. She assured herself that she hadn't lied, that much was true…she had never had an argument with Colonel Samantha Carter in her life.

-

Later that evening, Belle knocked on the door to her parent's bedroom, knowing her mother had gone there to escape the chaos of the children downstairs, and waited for an answer. She worried she'd be disturbing her, and so had already turned away after several seconds of silence.

"Come in," Janet's voice could be heard through the door.

She opened it and stepped inside, closing it behind her, "How do you know I wasn't one of the rest of the horde?"

"They wouldn't bother knocking," her mother smiled and patted the bed beside her, "What's wrong?"

"…This is going to sound weird…" Belle hesitated before she sat down, "…But I need to know about my godmother and what happened in the past…"

"What do you mean?" Janet frowned.

"…I don't know…I mean, I didn't know Rei was my godmother's daughter. Her last name is different…"

"Sam kept her maiden name. Always was stubborn," she shrugged.

"…Its not just that…Kerry doesn't trust Sam…and Jason doesn't either, because of it…and we didn't know Rei was her daughter…"

"Would you have been friends with her if you knew?"

"That's not the point. She's my friend, regardless of her family. Its not that. Jay and I just have snippets of information from your pasts and we've scared Rei. You saw how he reacted. She thinks she's done something terribly wrong and I can't tell her anything…anything at all, not even about the SGC."

"Sam never told her children about the SGC. It wasn't necessary."

"What about her husband?"

"…He already knew…" Janet didn't sound impressed.

"Mom, I don't understand. Why did Sam leave? Why is she suddenly back? And why doesn't Rei know anything?"

"Honey, I don't know either," she sighed, "Sam was called back because we need her. Whether she told Rei about the SGC or not is none of our business."

"But we have to know what went on!"

"Why?"

"Because it's a part of us! Jay won't just accept this. Rei was nearly in tears. I don't know what to do!" Belle exclaimed, "Why does your pasts have such an impact on us?"

"I can't tell you what none of us have a right to interfere in," Janet insisted.

"I don't want everybody's secrets! I just need to know why Kerry has made Jason so distrusting of the name 'Carter'!"

"Look," she began, "Sam was Jason's dad's second in command. She got married and decided to raise her children away from the dangers of the SGC. I was expecting you and I could see what she meant. A little after Sam was gone, Jack married Kerry and she fell pregnant. Maybe Kerry and Sam had an argument or something, I don't know," she lied.

"…Mom…"

"Belle, please…I don't know anything that could help you…don't let our pasts control you. You're just kids…live and love whoever you want," Janet said softly.

Belle left her mother's room more confused than when she entered.

-


	7. Entangled

Notes: Sorry for no updates in ages. Laptop hard-drive and the nice tour of the UK it went on before I got it back. Anyway, about Teal'c family; we'll be getting to them, but they aren't on Earth, so give it a while. Thank you very much for the supportive reviews!

* * *

Rei lay on her bed, lights dimmed, still somehow managed to read the book she held in her hands. The book was merely a distraction. She had been welcome in the Jackson household, and Belle's mother had treated her as if she were one of her own. But despite laughing and smiling and trying to keep things the way they had been, Rei hadn't missed the times when Belle had stared at her, as if she were studying her. So far, she had little evidence to piece together, and the lack of information frustrated her beyond belief. But displays of anger and stubborn behaviour were not in her nature, so she remained silent, withdrawing to her room when she thought her absence wouldn't be noticed as out of the ordinary. Hearing a knock at the door, she sighed and dropped the book, "Come in." If it was Annika she would only tell her to leave right away anyway. Not that her sister would listen. 

"Just wanted to come see how you are, make sure you didn't think I was a figment of your imagination after all the time spent away these couple of weeks," Sam poked her head round the door, hesitant to enter, "You okay?"

Rei sat up and nodded, "I'm fine," she stated, not wanting to elaborate on her current state of mind.

"Annika says you've been up here for most of the evening," she closed the door behind her.

"I had some reading to catch up on."

"If Annika had said those words, I'd believe them," Sam sat down beside her daughter, "What's wrong?"

She knew she wouldn't win by lying. Making up a story when her mother always knew when she was lying. She wasn't good at deception, "…Do you know Isabelle Jackson?"

Her mother blinked, stunned for a moment, "…I met her last week…" she answered.

"How?"

"…Her mother works on the base with me."

"That would explain why you're her godmother then?"

Sam stared, "Rei, what's-"

"I know a Belle Jackson and her family. I also know Jason O'Neill, who, for some reason, switched off and practically ran from me when he discovered my mother's name was Carter," she elaborated, trying to provoke a response.

She remained silent, suddenly staring down at the floor. She should have known her past would come back to hit her again. But not hit her, hit her eldest daughter, who was already tangled up it in, for reasons she couldn't fathom.

"Why is a Doctor required in a base that studies deep space radar telemetry?" Rei pressed, "And what was Belle doing on a military base?"

"We use a lot of scientific equipment there, its easy for people to hurt themselves," Sam replied, evasive.

She looked up at her mother, noting she wouldn't quite look her in the eye. Rei sighed and looked down, "…Why lie to me, Mom? What are you all protecting me from?"

"I'm not lying to you, Rei," Sam insisted, "There are just some things that you don't have to know."

"Like why one of my friends suddenly hates me because I'm related to you?"

Sam recoiled, "…That was harsh…"

"Mom!" tears shone in the girl's eyes, "I don't ask a lot of you! I put up with all the time you're gone, I don't argue when you tell me we have to move, I look after the others when you and Dad aren't here, and I accept I'm not the brilliant child like Annika, but I can't fit in here unless I know what suddenly makes me so different! I just want to know the truth! Gods, Mom, I just want to have a life! I love you and I'd do anything for you, but if you wont even tell me…"

The Colonel stood up and moved to the door, hiding her eyes so her child wouldn't see her own tears, "…I…I'll tell you tomorrow. I'll tell you what makes you so different. But don't hate me when it might be more than you can take," the door opened swiftly and shut quietly.

Rei stared at the closed door, before she stood and crossed the room, reaching out and laying her palm flat against the wooden surface. Silent tears streamed down her face as she heard her mother's quiet sobs on the other side of the divide.

* * *

She entered the classroom silently, taking her seat and sitting staring into the near distance. She managed to block everything out when a familiar voice called out to her. 

"Rei? What's going on?" Belle wandered into her line of vision, "Why're you ignoring us?" she gestured to herself and looked over at Jason, who looked away as soon as Rei glanced across to him.

"…I'm not, Belle," she answered softly, "…I just need…some time to think…"

Belle refused to leave her alone and perched on the edge of her desk, "You and me both," she said quietly, "At least its art and we get to talk right now," she frowned, "You forget to bring something to sketch?"

She cursed silently, "…Yeah."

"Me too," she shot her friend a grin, "At least I'm not the only one," Belle looked back across at Jason when she saw him pulling a bronze device from his backpack. Eyes wide, she hopped down from Rei's desk, running back to his, "Jay, tell me that's not what I think it is," she hissed, frantic.

"Relax, Belle, its not like anyone can use it," he answered in a whisper, placing the device on the desk before him.

"That's not the point! How did you get it out from the base?" she continued.

"Walked?" Jason shrugged, "They're not going to miss it. Its not as if anyone needs it. Its just an artefact now."

"Jason O'Neill, your parents are going to kill you…"

"Not if they don't find out," he shot back, "it'll be back by the end of the day," he lay out the five fingers of the device on the table before him, "and you gotta admit its something pretty decent to draw."

"You are whacked in the head!" Belle exclaimed.

"Consider it an O'Neill trait," he sighed, seeing Rei staring straight ahead again, vacant expression on her face. Against his better judgement, he called out to her, "…Rei? Come see this."

"Jay…"

"Belle…"

Rei stood, slowly, and walked over to his desk, barely able to hide her blush, "W-What is it?" she asked him, "…I…maybe I should…I mean…maybe I should go…" she uttered.

Unable to find the words to reassure her, and not quite sure he wanted to, Jason just held up the device, "Neat, huh?" he said, tone neutral.

She held it, supporting it with both hands, "…Wow…I've never seen anything like this before…"

Belle remained silent, glaring at Jason.

"…Looks like finger holes…" she continued, slipping her hand through the swirl of gold, the rounded points fitting into place on her fingers, "…Guess they are…"

Belle shook her head, "Rei, maybe you shouldn't…" she gasped when she noticed the look of anticipation on Jason's features.

Rei jumped as the circle in her palm sprang to life, glowing orange, "…What the-"

"Rei, put it-"

"Shit!" Jason swore aloud.

She swung round to face him, crying out as energy shot from her palm and blasted him, and his desk, back and to the floor. The room fell silent, all eyes on Rei. Thankfully, they hadn't been fast enough to see what had actually happened.

Belle stood over Jason, anger flashing in her dark eyes, "That's for insulting Nikki!" she shouted, trying to make out she had pushed him.

Rei ripped the device from her palm, dropping it, shaking.

Jason weakly looked up at her and Belle, "…At least now we'll get some answers…" he muttered, before he passed out.

* * *

"O'Neill," Jack answered the phone in his office, "Jay's school? Put them through," he stated, "Hello?" 

"Jack, we've got the location of Satra's next 'audience', daughter included," Daniel burst into his office.

The General held up a hand, silencing him, "Jay was knocked out? By what? Isabelle Jackson? You're kidding me! She's his best friend!"

Daniel stared, "Belle did _what?_"

"She _and_ Rei Shanahan?" he continued. His expression darkened as he heard the surname of the other girl involved, "Right. Well, obviously he can come home. I can't get there right now. I'll send someone over. Janet Frasier has permission to remove him from school, along with her daughter. Rei Shanahan? I don't know a-"

"What's going on?" Sam joined them in his office.

He covered the phone with his hand, "Your kid's in trouble, Carter. Along with ours."

"What?" she frowned.

"I don't know. Something about a fight. You wanna go get her?"

"Yes, Sir," she nodded.

"Go get the Doc and head for their school," Jack answered.

"Yes, Sir," she ran from the room, confused.

"Rei Shanahan's mother will be with Isabelle's," he informed the school official, "Thanks for informing us," he put the phone down, frowning.

"Belle did what?" Daniel repeated.

"…Knocked Jay out…"

"Okay, all credit to my eldest…but she couldn't knock Jay out if she tried…"

"I know…"

"Rei? Janet says a 'Rei Shanahan' was round ours last night. She's friends with Belle and Jay," Daniel made an attempt to explain, "…They ganged on up Jay or something?"

"'Why?' comes to mind," Jack answered, "I don't know, Daniel. But I know Belle couldn't-"

"And wouldn't."

"Knock Jay out."

Daniel sighed, "…Sam's kids don't know about the SGC…"

"Hence sending Carter to get her kid."

"Jack?"

"Yeah?" he mumbled.

"Don't blame Sam for moving on…" the archaeologist began.

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't start now."


	8. The Practical Truth

**Notes:** Thanks for reviewing, and thanks to Rini for telling me to get on with this.

* * *

Rei was still staring into space, frozen, by the time her mother had stopped the car. Still in shock at what she had seen, she hadn't noticed that Sam had followed Janet's car all the way to the mountain base. Not that she would have recognised it at all if she had been paying attention. She had barely noticed as her mother produced ID to be allowed through the barrier, next thing she knew, her car door had been opened and Sam was kneeling beside her. 

"Rei? Rei, I need you to get out of the car…"

She turned frightened eyes on her, "W-What did I do? H-How did I do that?" she choked out.

"It's a long story, I promise I'll tell you if you can get out of the car and come with me, okay?" Sam said softly. She looked back at Janet, who was frowning in concern.

Belle and Jason stood behind her, the latter with a grimace on his face, holding a hand to his head.

"B-But how? I didn't mean to-"

"Rei, please, get out of the car," Sam urged.

Still shaking, Rei stepped out of the car, taking a step back when she saw Janet, Belle and Jason, "What's going on?" she whispered.

"Rei, honey, it'll all make more sense in a few minutes, just do what your Mom asks you, okay?" Janet tried.

"Seriously, it'll be fine," Belle assured her, as she started to walk away.

Jason turned away, "Welcome to our world," he uttered quietly, refusing to look at Sam, and striding to catch up with his best friend.

Rei simply stared after them as her mother wrapped an arm around her and guided her toward the complex.

* * *

She stared at the form in front of her, trying to sift through the information, it becoming one giant blur in her mind. Rei looked up, "What is this?" 

Sam sighed softly, "…It's a non-disclosure form. Rei, I consider you an adult, you're responsible enough to sign one of these and I believe you can keep to you word. Unfortunately, there are consequences if you don't, and not just for you, but for me, your dad and your brothers and sister."

She ran a hand through her dark hair, still trying to convince herself to stop shaking, "What's so important than I have to sign a government form for?"

Sam smiled slightly, "…Something beyond your wildest dreams. But this has to be your choice, your doing and I'm not saying in any way that signing that form means the end of your troubles. If anything, it means the beginning."

"…But it has to do with what you do with your life? What you really do? What Belle's Mom and she and Jay already know all about?"

She nodded, once.

Rei proceeded to read the extra pages of the form, before she flipped it back over and signed where it was required of her, "I'm in. I need answers. And if this is the only way to get them…"

Sam stood to take the sheets from her, kissing the top of her head as she headed for the door, "I'll be back in a few minutes, stay here, okay?"

* * *

"You did it on purpose!" Belle shouted, eyes narrowing when Jason hissed in pain as her mother touched the back of his head. 

"Oh come on! How the hell-"

"Language," Janet muttered.

"How the _heck_ was I supposed to know she could use it?" he shouted back.

"Why take it in the first place?"

"Yes, Jason O'Neill, why take it?" the Doctor questioned.

He sighed, "Its not like a major crime-"

"You took an artefact from the SGC! Somebody's gonna kick your ass for it!" Belle shot at him.

"Most likely your father…" Janet mumbled.

"Look, I was bored, it was something to do, something to draw for class, you can't say I thought anyone could use it! I can't, Belle can't, what were the odds?"

Belle frowned, "…How could Rei use the hand device anyway?"

"…Her mother used to be a host…" Janet said softly, "…host to a Tok'ra; it died in her system, leaving the trace element that let her use Goa'uld technology…it must have been passed to Rei somehow…I don't understand it myself. Foetal and maternal blood never mix."

"Never say never," Jason rolled his eyes.

"You don't need a patch. You've got a cut, but its cleaned up now, and I say you fully deserve the headache you have. Belle, I want you to stay with him, you're both staying here tonight."

"Aw, no, I don't need to-" he started.

"Don't make me kick your ass too," Janet warned, "Belle, if he falls asleep, wake him every few hours, okay?"

"Sure thing," her daughter answered, "If only out of spite."

"Very funny," he snapped.

"Where's Rei?" Belle asked.

Janet shrugged, "Depends whether Sam is going to tell Rei the truth or not."

"How else can she explain this?"

"Believe me, we've explained away stranger things…"

* * *

Sam led her daughter into the briefing room, the blast doors thankfully shut, and waited for her to take a seat at the table, "Rei, that form is your promise to the USAF and to me that you won't ever tell a soul anything you learn here…" 

"I know, Mom, won't tell a soul, I get it…" she replied.

"…Okay…" she sat down opposite her, "…I do work for the US Airforce…but I don't do what you think I do. I don't just have a desk-job. Well, I did, before we moved. But not before that…and not now…"

"I kinda figured it was a weird desk-job that suddenly kept you for such long hours…"

Sam nodded, "…Okay…well…this is the big thing. Earth has contact with aliens. Some are friendly, some aren't so great. But we make contact with them through here, we even go to other worlds…"

Rei just stared, eyes wide, silent.

So she thought she'd better continue and get it over with, "We've been at war with a few alien races, have some technology that isn't ours…but its really all about the exploration…we use a device called the Stargate…"

"Stargate…" the girl echoed.

"Before you were born, I was part of a team that went through the Stargate on a regular basis, to other planets to see what was out there. We even fought some pretty bad battles, thought we weren't going to make it more than once… But it was worth it. Its amazing out there, Rei, the things we saw and did…it made any suffering worthwhile…" she looked down, "Belle's mom was, and is, our CMO, Jason's dad is the General in command here. He used to lead my team, back when he was a Colonel. Belle's dad was on the team too, his name is Daniel Jackson. We even had an alien on the team, his name is Teal'c and he's one of my closest friends…"

Rei blinked a couple of times, still silent.

"…Rei…? You doing okay…?" Sam worried.

She held up a hand, "…I, er…yeah…just…letting it all…you know…sink in…or, erm, maybe waiting to…wake up…"

Sam reached for her hands across the table, "Rei, this isn't a joke, I promise you. You wanted answers and this…these are my answers for you. This is all I can tell you…"

'_Yet you wont tell me why Jason hates you…'_

"Before we moved, I did have a desk-job, but it was still connected to the SGC; Stargate Command. We moved back here because they reassigned me, they want me to start going through the 'Gate again…"

'…_My Mom's going off to fight aliens…?'_

"What Jason brought to your school…it was a weapon…"

"I fired a weapon?" her voice rose in panic.

"Not on purpose…"  
"But still!"

"Please calm down…" Sam pleaded, "…The weapon is of alien design, its Goa'uld, the enemies we were…maybe are…fighting. You need a specific element in your blood to control it…an element not found on Earth…" she looked away, "I have it…and somehow…so do you."

"I fired an alien weapon, you're running off to fight aliens, and the USAF runs a program to travel to other worlds?" her head was spinning, "S-So, I have something alien in my system?"

Sam nodded, slowly, "…You do…but it won't harm you…"

Rei blinked again, trying to process all the information.

"…Rei…you okay?"

'_I'll tell you what makes you so different. But don't hate me when it might be more than you can take.'_

Could she get that form back now?

* * *

"So, what do you wanna do now?" Belle asked, "Since we're stuck here." 

"Nothing involving bright lights or moving too quickly…" Jason mumbled.

"Its your own fault…"

"Keep saying it…" he stopped in the corridor, "…I wonder if Rei's still here…?"

"As if she'd want to talk to you now! After the way you treated her before, now this!" Belle exclaimed, "Jay, leave the poor girl alone! We're supposed to be her friends, she's new here and we've already hurt her so much!"

"Kick me when I'm down…" Jason sighed.

"Jay, I'm sorry, I just-" she stepped back as he was enveloped in a white light and vanished. Belle stared, "…Jay? Jason?"


	9. Closer and Closer

**Notes:** Sorry, been a while in updating this. Thanks for reviewing.

* * *

Belle was next seen tearing through the briefing room, en-route to General O'Neill's office. She skidded to a halt as she saw Rei seated at the table, Sam across from her, and frowned. She glanced momentarily at the window, "…Why're the blast doors shut?" she asked aloud, of nobody in particular. She shook her head, deciding to ignore Rei for the moment; anything she said could make matters worse, "Erm, Colonel, do you know if the General is in his office?" 

Sam regarded her with a somewhat blank expression, mirrored by Rei, "Sorry, Isabelle, I have no idea."

"Thanks anyway," the girl ran back into action, peering through the glass window of the office. She knocked on the door, not waiting for an answer, and stepped inside, "Sir?"

Jack looked up from his paperwork, "…Belle?"

"Jay's gone!"

"Gone?" he echoed.

"Just vanished! Bright white light, ping, he's gone!" she exclaimed.

He frowned, "…Asgard?"  
"I don't know!"

"Calm down, Belle…" Jack answered, quite amused by her state of panic.

She stared, "…Excuse me? I'm sorry, Sir, but why aren't you at all worried? Your son just vanished!"

"And he's more than likely to just reappear."

"And if he doesn't?"

He smiled, "Give it a few minutes."

* * *

"Greetings, Jason O'Neill." 

Jason span round to find the source of the voice, disorientated. His eyes narrowed as he paused in thought, "…Wait, wait, wait…I know this one…don't tell me…Thor, right?"

"You are most like your father," Thor inclined his head, a hint of humour in his voice.

"…Thanks…I think…" he replied, "…Hey…" he glanced around, "How far are we from Earth now?"

"We are just out of reach of your nation's satellite sensors."

"Right…okay…" Jason couldn't remain politely curious any longer, "…With me and the beaming up and why?"

"I am here to deliver a key component of the plan to remove Satra from her seat of power."

"You guys are in on that?"

"We have pledged our…assistance…"

"As in you've pledged a hand here and there, but we humans have got to do it, right?" Jason quipped.

"Perhaps you should spend more time in your mother's presence and less in your father's," Thor's tone was droll, "But yes, indeed, we shall not intervene to destroy Satra ourselves."

"What's this delivery?"

"I request that you give this to your father," he gestured to a small box just in front of the boy, "It is a device that will prevent beam and ring technology being used to transport the wearer. We expect it shall be used on Satra's daughter, if, or rather, when, she is captured."

"…Okay…" Jason took the box off the floor, "…Instructions included?"  
"We have included its schematics."

"Right…" he sounded dubious, "…Do I get to go home now?"

"Indeed," Thor confirmed. He paused, "…Jason O'Neill, you carry the Ancient gene, do you not?"

"…Yeah…but so does a whole city of humans in another galaxy, remember?"

"Your brother and sister do not possess this gene? Nor Isabelle Jackson and her siblings?"

Jason frowned, "No and not as far as I know…why?"

"What of Rei Carter?"

"Shanahan," he muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Rei Shanahan," he corrected, "Her name is Rei Shanahan. And no, I don't know."

"We registered a surge of power from her," Thor stated.

"Woah, woah…how?"

"We have been monitoring the first born of the members SG-1 for some years now."

"Why?"  
"You will know when the time is right."

"You know Rei doesn't know about the Stargate?" Jason sighed.

"We are well aware," the alien stated, "You shall now be returned to your home."  
"No, no, wait, why the hell are you monito-"

Jason vanished.

* * *

He reappeared in the briefing room of the SGC, unfortunately in Rei's line of vision. 

"…What the…?" she uttered, eyes wide.

"Er…hi…" Jason mumbled, blanking Sam. He wandered across to his father's office, foregoing knocking on the door completely, and just strode inside, still clutching the 'delivery'.

"Jay!" Belle jumped up from her seat in relief.

"Told you," Jack smiled.

"Told her what?" Jason asked.

"That you'd be back in a few minutes."

"…Oh…" he deposited the box on the desk, "This is for you, apparently, from Thor. Something to use on Satra's daughter…or something like that…"

"You what?" his father stared.

"Stops beam and ring technology," he elaborated, "…What did you think I meant?"

"Never mind!"

"Sir, you do know that Colonel Carter's daughter is just outside?" Belle questioned.

"Form what I gather she just activated a Goa'uld hand device," Jack suddenly glared at his son, "That somebody removed from storage."

"I didn't mean any harm!"

"If you were an officer here, I'd have to give you a damned good dressing down, your 'fun' would go on your record," the General answered, voice cold, "You ever want to get to serve here?"

Jason stared at the floor, "…Yes, Sir."

"Then don't ever contemplate pulling a stunt like that again. Once you're in the Academy, you're on your own. We can't go around pulling strings for you."

"…No, sir."

"But Rei used the hand device…" Belle tried to change the subject, "Nobody knew she had any chance of activating it…"

Jack looked blank, "Must be her genetics, something from her mother's side. I've authorised her mother to detail the program to her, get her to sign a non-disclosure form."

"We never had to sign one," Jason leant against the wall.

"You all grew up here, silence was demanded of you from birth," he replied, wryly, "You don't hear even your youngest brothers and sisters uttering a word, do you?" he addressed Belle.

"No, Sir, not a thing," she smiled, "I think they like having the secret, to be honest," she headed for the door, "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go wait for Rei to recover before I go see her again," left without another word.

Jason sat in the seat she had vacated, "…Dad…"

"Jay?"

"…Why…" he began, "…Why doesn't Mom trust Colonel Carter?"

"Of course she trusts her. Can't afford to have people with grudges around here," Jack lied.

"No, Dad, she doesn't trust her. I've heard you arguing, even before she came back, Carter this and Carter that. What's going on?"

"Nothing that concerns you kids," he assured his son.

"So there is something going on?" Jason assumed.

"Jay, some things in the past cant be altered. Sometimes people have a hard time accepting them, that's it. I doubt very much that Colonel Carter trusts your mom either." _'Or me..'_

"If that woman causes trouble between you and Mom, I don't want anything to do with her…or her daughter."

Jack was stunned for a moment, "…Jay, I thought we raised you not to be prejudiced against people."

"I'm not," he insisted.

"You're letting what you think you know about Carter influence you, you don't even know her. Or Rei. You're a smart guy, make up your own mind about people, don't listen to others. I trust Carter with my life, I'll tell you that."

Jason's eyes narrowed, "…She was your 2IC…"

"Who told you that?"

"Belle asked her mom."

"Yes, she was. And?"

"…And she left the year we were all born."

"Yes."

"The year you married Mom?"

Jack sighed, "Yes."

"You spent a lot of time with Carter, right?"

"Yes, Jason, now will you stop with the questions?"

"Yes, _Sir_," the boy stood up, "Because I think I understand now," he strode to the door, "Thanks," he resisted the urge to slam the door, but not to glare at Sam and Rei as he walked past them.


	10. Twisted

**Notes:** Thanks for reviewing. With regard to being able to update Atlantis faster; I can update whatever fic I'm happy to get on with and be happy with what's written, rather than just update everything with something short and substandard.

* * *

Rei was still staring blankly, "…What…what just happened?" 

Sam frowned, "…Asgard…I think."

"Asgard?"

"They're an advanced race we have an alliance with. They help us out, we help them out…they randomly beam people to their ships," she tried to make a joke out of it, but knew she'd failed when her daughter still looked stunned, "…Rei…you doing okay?"

The girl continued to stare for several moments, "…Yeah…I…er…I'm fine. Just a lot to take in…you know…aliens…and beaming people up…other worlds…" a strange cough of a laugh escaped her, "…I always thought that stuff was exclusive to TV…"

Sam smiled slightly, "I'm afraid not."

"And I can't tell anyone? Not even-"

"Not even your sister and brothers, no. Not until they're old enough."

"Belle's siblings are old enough, and Harriet's still a little girl!"

"Rei, I told you before you signed that form that you couldn't tell anyone…" she stressed.

"I don't want to tell anyone! I want to go and freak out!" Rei exclaimed.

"Sam, big news, Satra, audience, now, I think we're missing it…!" Daniel raced through the briefing room, headed to Jack's office, "You might want to come see!"

Sam sighed, "…Always the best of timing…" she said softly, getting to her feet.

"What about me?" her daughter questioned.

"I'll take care of her," Belle's voice came from the doorway, where she had been trying to lurk unnoticed.

"Thanks, Isabelle," she walked round the table and kissed the top of Rei's head, "I'll be back as soon as I can," she hurried away, feeling incredibly guilty.

Belle wandered in and sat on the table, "Well?"

"Well what?" Rei gaped.

"What do you think?"

"I think I'm going to wake up in a minute and have a good laugh over this."  
"Sorry, Rei, no joke," she smiled. She sighed, "I understand if this is as much as you want to know, I mean, if you want to go home and just try and forget this ever happened. But you should spend some time here. I know it seems strange and I get that you're scared-"  
"I'm not scared," Rei protested stubbornly.

"Yes you are," Belle answered, "Because I was, and so was Jay and every one of us kids. It doesn't matter if you find out when you're four, fourteen or forty; its scary. But you should spend some time here. It's a lot to take in…but Rei…there's so much here. I wouldn't want to be 'normal' for anything…"

"…When did you find out?" she asked.

Her companion laughed, "When I was four. I mean, I'd been here before and had no idea what was going on, what was I supposed to know, I was a baby. Jay and I had been running around in my back garden, we climbed a wall and promptly fell off, together, and cracked our heads open. We'd have nice matching scars," she grinned, "But you try drifting in and out of consciousness with several people who keeps switching voices and have eyes that glow randomly in the Infirmary with you. They couldn't explain that away to us. So they told us the truth."

"I…I must sound so stupid to you, behaving like this at our age."

"Not at all," Belle hopped down from the table, "You've reacted a lot better than some of the adults they tell. Listen," she walked round the table, "I've got to go home, Mom and Dad are here, so I better go take care of the kids when they get back. I've got a rehearsal after school tomorrow, but wait for me? And come here. With me."

"Just…turn up?" Rei frowned.

"We'll make a few calls, say we have to see our parents or something," she winked. Belle walked to the door, "I'd stay, but somebody has to make sure the house doesn't fall down," she laughed softly before her smile faded, "Rei?"

"Yeah?"

"Talk to Jay. Please."

* * *

"What do you mean _now_?" Jack demanded. 

"The audience. I think its now."  
"As in _now?_"

"Yes, now! This moment!"

"What do we do?" Sam asked, "We can't just throw a mission together."

"That's what we're gonna have to do, Carter," Jack stood, "Throw a mission together."

"That's crazy! We have no idea what's out there, Sir!"

"What choice do we have?" Daniel shrugged, helpless.

"_Unscheduled off-world activation!"_

"Oh for the love of-" Jack began, shaking his head, "Let's get to it, kids. Carter, Daniel, go get geared up, grab all the tech we've got and every weapon you can think of. I'm gonna go check out what the hell's going on here."  
"What then?" Sam stared after him as he left his office.

"Then we get going."

"We?" Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, Daniel, _we_. I'm going with you."

* * *

Rei found Jason staring at the ceiling, leaning against the back wall of the Infirmary. 

"Hi."

"Hey," he looked down at her for a moment, then back up at the ceiling.

"Did you do it on purpose?" she asked.

"What?"  
"Show me that weapon."

Jason snorted, "Believe me, I had no idea you could use it. None of us can," he pushed off from the wall and stood, straightening his jacket, "So, what do you think?"

"…That's exactly what Belle said…"

"It's a valid question."

She sighed, "Did I do something to hurt you? Aside from blasting you across the classroom," Rei folded her arms across her chest, "You've been acting as though you can't stand me since you found out my mother's name is Carter. I don't know what you've got against her and I don't understand why you would, seeing as you'd never met her before a couple of weeks ago, but I don't see why you have to treat me like dirt because you've taken a dislike to my mother," when she finished she was shaking, though not noticeably, the speech having been an effort for somebody not usually outspoken.

Jason laughed harshly, "You ever wonder why your mother left here?"  
She frowned, "I don't see what it has to do with you. Or me."  
"I think it has everything to do with you _and_ me. Or our parents."

"What do you mean?"

He advanced toward her, "You think it's a coincidence your mother left here the year we were both born, when my father married my mother?"  
"What has that got to do with anything?"

Jason closed the distance between them, suddenly lunging for her to bring her closer, kissing her once, almost violently. He broke away and looked down at her, "Your mother left because she couldn't stand the fact that my dad married my mom," he twisted the half truths he knew, furious at his father, determined to blame her mother, "and not her." He stalked from the Infirmary without another word, leaving Rei staring after him as she brought one hand to her lips, visibly shaking and determined not to cry.


	11. The Honest Truth

Notes: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I seem to have rambled on a bit in this chapter…

* * *

"O'Neill, DanielJackson," Teal'c greeted his friends from the 'Gate ramp, "It has been a great while." 

"General, Doctor," Rya'c nodded, standing beside his father. He had grown to match his father's height, and, had he the opportunity to prove himself once and for all, he may well have been able to match his strength. As it was, both were grateful for the relative peace that had only just been shattered in the past few months.

"I am to understand you are the General O'Neill and Doctor Jackson my grandfather speaks so highly of?" a third figure stood slightly behind the adults, hands clasped behind his back, standing tall so as not to appear so young in comparison to his companions.

"Sa'rac," Daniel nodded in response, "I'm sorry, last time I saw you, you were little more than a toddler…"

"They have claimed I should remember you both from our brief encounter all those years ago," the teenager smiled.

"How fare your daughters, Rya'c?"

"They are…of good humour," Rya'c couldn't quite suppress the smile, "…and I am thankful they do not have to learn combat as young as their mother and I…though they clearly have her beauty."

Teal'c frowned, noting the increased number of military personnel in the room, "Is something occurring, O'Neill?"

"Er, yeah, actually. Hate to put you straight back to work, but apparently we're missing the wonderful Satra's audience. If we're gonna try and nab…" Jack frowned, "…Do we even know her name?"

"Sat-Khenret," Daniel proposed, with a shrug.

"Sat…what?"

"Khenret," he repeated, "Technically it means 'harem', put the two together, 'daughter of the harem'. It could just be a title like the 'God's Wife' deal. We don't know if its her name. Satra could be using it to claim that her daughter also had humble origins, but has risen, as she has-"

Jack grimaced, "I need to send you on more missions to get away from those books…"

"Those books might just save our behinds."

"Point taken."

"Are we to use the devices we received from the city of Atlantis?" Teal'c questioned.

"Only way I can see us getting through the 'Gate without getting shot," Jack answered.

"…Though they could start firing randomly when they see nothing…" Daniel mumbled.

"Am I right in believing this is not a well thought out plan?"

"Yes, Teal'c, as always, a not well thought out plan. But its all we've got. So get your ass to the locker room and get geared up," the General took several steps back, "Sorry to ruin the visit, Rya'c, but we need your old man for a while."

"We shall await your return. Perhaps I will be permitted to show Sa'rac your world?" he asked.

"Yep, knock yourselves out," Jack nodded, distracted, "Where's Carter got to?"

"Here, Sir," her voice answered through the intercom, "Ready to go. I only wish the gene therapy had held with Daniel."

Jack looked up to see her in the control room, "Teal'c would've been a bonus."

"It was never an option, Sir."

The group headed up to the control room before continuing the conversation, "Are we even sure its held with you, Carter?" Jack frowned.

"I can use the Ancient technology. Its been over forty-eight hours since I underwent the procedure…"

"So its not just gonna run out on us in a few hours…?"

"Its gene therapy, Sir, it can't just give out."

"I see you've toned down the technobabble," he commented, perhaps a little disappointed.

She smiled sadly, "Had to, Sir."

"Somebody please show Rya'c and Sa'rac to some VIP quarters?" Jack glanced around.

"Thank you, General," the boy spoke up.

"Its 'Jack', kid," he grimaced, "'General' makes me feel older than I already am."

Sa'rac nodded hesitantly and remained silent.

"Where's your kid, Carter?"

"…I left her in the briefing room…" Sam, "With Isabelle."

Jack sighed, "Someone assign…Miss Shanahan…" he only just managed to utter the world without contempt, "some temporary quarters!"

"Thank you, Sir."

"Don't thank me, I'm not letting her off this base until I'm sure she's not in shock," he shook his head, "Carter, get those invisibility things from storage, and grab that box from my desk, its got that transporter not getting a lock on thing in it."

"Yes, Sir," she broke into a slow run from the control room.

"Let's go gear up, kids."

"We really are just throwing this mission together aren't we? You weren't kidding," Daniel muttered.

"So help me if you doom us, Daniel…"

* * *

Rei sat on the edge of the bed nearest to the door in the Infirmary, having only been able to manage the few steps to it rather than collapse to the ground. What had just happened? She wasn't sure what she was more disturbed about; his story about their parents or the fact that he had kissed her…and kissed her like that. She'd never been kissed like that in her life. She'd had a boyfriend in the past, but even then, kissing him had just felt like something she 'ought' to do. And he had never kissed her like Jason had dared to. Rei stared at the floor; it had made her feel alive. And she wanted more. Yes, maybe that was what she found most worrying. She sighed, wondering if Belle would find out. Would she object to her being kissed by her best friend? The girl had teased her about Jason being attracted to her…so surely she wouldn't see it as betrayal of some form? 

"Rei?"

She gasped aloud, jumping. Rei raised her head to find Janet in the doorway. She sniffed and swiped at her eyes, ashamed. Trying an all too bright smile, she raised her hand in a wave, "Hi."

Janet frowned and approached the bed, "…Honey, what's wrong?"

She sniffed again, "Nothing, I'm fine."

The petite doctor sat down beside her on the bed, "When I find somebody in my Infirmary crying I generally ask what's wrong. It doesn't mean you have to tell me, but as your godmother, I'd hope you would…"

Rei frowned, confused, "You're my godmother?"

"I am," Janet smiled.

"…Mom never said…I just assumed that she was just Belle's…"

"Well, back in the day, before any of you kids arrived, we were joking around and we said we'd be compulsory godmother's to each other's first born. We really were joking, but we really weren't too. The way things turned out, we never got to play the part in anything but title," she smiled gently again, "…I never thought things would turn out this way…back then we all thought…well, we all thought we'd be together all these years…we thought and hoped a lot of things, but they don't always go your way. Your mother would be the first to tell you that," Janet laid a hand on her young charge's shoulder, "What I'm trying to say is, Rei, I'm asking as a friend, not a doctor, or an officer here. Despite all these years, I consider your mom family. That will never change. As her daughter, you are my family too. I know you really barely know me, and if you don't want to talk, then that's okay…but I just want to help you, if I can."

"…Where's my Mom gone?" Rei asked quietly, trying to distract herself.

"…She's headed off-world…"

"W-What if she doesn't come back?"  
"She will come back. They've faced worse than this, always made it back. I'm not saying they're perfectly safe or they'll come back for sure, but I believe they will," Janet frowned, "Has that daughter of mine gone home?"

"Which one?" Rei dared to joke, smiling weakly.

She gave her a nudge, "Evidently Jay works quickly."

The girl gulped and fell silent, trying to hide under her dark hair.

Janet narrowed her eyes, "Alright, Miss Shanahan, what's he done now?"

"Who?"

"You know very well who."

Rei sniffed again, "…He…said something about my mom…" she paused, "…and he…he…" she looked away, "…kissed me."

She breathed in sharply. It was as if something had shattered inside her. She already mourned the love lost between two of her best friends, now their children had been dragged in? Jason must have known Rei was in a fragile state, just what did he think he was playing at? She had seen his reaction to Sam, and his reaction to finding out that Rei was technically a 'Carter'. The boy had not behaved in a pleasant manner. So…what? What was he trying to do? Janet knew Jason to be an intelligent boy who didn't use his mind enough to show his true potential and knew he could be just as cruel, given the chance. He showed nothing but love toward Belle, but she had heard the stories of darker incidents with others. She didn't want a repeat of love that did nothing but destroy. If it was love. They were just kids. How would their parents react? Some sick joke?

"…Was it true…?" Rei asked softly, fearing the silence would go on for eternity.

"…What?"

"What Jason said."

"…What did he say?" Janet closed her eyes.

"…He said that my mother loved his father. And that she left because he married somebody else. B-But, if this all happened in the same year, she must've been married to Dad by then. And expecting me…" she glanced at her godmother, "…S-So it was my fault. She was forced to leave the man she loved because of me. Did she love Dad? Does she love Dad? Did Jason's dad love her too?" all the questions she really didn't want answers to came spilling out, ending in ragged sobs.

Janet despaired, putting an arm around Rei's shoulders to try and comfort her, "Jason says a lot of things that aren't true…" she tried.

"But are they true?"

"…Its not my place to say…"

"Please!" Rei raised her voice, "I want to know what happened back then! I want to know why he hates me and yet can kiss me like that at the same time!" her eyes widened at revealing too much and she clamped her mouth shut.

She sighed, "…You want the truth…"

"Yes…"

Janet shut her eyes again, wishing it would all just go away, "…In my _opinion_…yes…your mother loved his father…and he loved her…"

"Then why didn't they-"

"USAF regulations forbid fraternisation within a chain of command. He was her CO. There was nothing they could do. They tried to hide their feelings. They didn't act on them, even if it hurt them more than they'd ever say…" she forced the girl to look at her, "But Rei…your mother loved, and still loves, your father. She married him before Jason's mother ever starting seeing the General. She loves your father. You weren't an accident. She moved away so you'd never be involved in the danger here at the SGC, so you'd have a mother who was there. Sam did what she thought was right. Jason has a twisted view of things, he doesn't know the whole story. Let him think what he likes. Don't even bother to correct him. Your mother hasn't betrayed your father…" Janet sighed, _'But she betrayed her heart and the man she truly loved…'_


	12. Dont Even Think

**Notes:** Yes, I'm sorry, I know its been ages since I updated. But its easier to finish off the fics easier to finish and then get on with this than struggle with all of them. Right, a warning about further updates. I'm not here for most of the summer; I'm in Germany with no net access, unless I find a net café I can upload from. An update may appear around mid August, but none thereafter until mid to late September. I'm on a course with the British School of Archaeology in Athens and will have no net or computer access. So I apologise in advance. Thanks for reviewing, its good to know you're enjoying reading.

* * *

"This is the most stupid mission we've been on in years," Daniel stated. 

"This is the _only_ mission we've been on together in years," Jack corrected him.

"You really think this is a good idea?"

"Walking into a possible Goa'uld stronghold? Yeah, why not? Why break with tradition?"

"Satra could target Earth if she chose to," Sam warned them.

"With her kid here? I don't think so. Especially if she can't be transported. If this girl is as important as everyone's saying, it gives us a shot at Satra when she tries to claim her back. Under our terms," the General signalled for the 'Gate to be activated.

"The Goa'uld are few in number and already in hiding. If Satra has claimed their domains as her own, she must intend to unite them, and their previous owners. With much technology at her disposal, she may well be capable of making the Goa'uld a great threat once again," Teal'c turned his head to observe the wormhole connecting.

"Close the iris!" Sam shouted, briefly panicking. She glanced down at the device wrapped round her wrist, "…Okay. So… assuming we're not shot as soon as they see us…"

"Or don't see us," Jack countered, "We hope."

"We've seen them shoot blind in the past," Daniel folded his arms.

"Okay kids, why don't we pack up and go home right now?"

"Just saying."

"Assuming they don't catch us shooting blind and we manage to take out the guards around the 'Gate, we radio to deactivate the iris so you guys can come through. And we're still assuming Satra and Sat-Khenret will be apart?" Sam continued.

"Two targets, close together, is not a wise idea. Satra must know this. It is most likely she has a minor camp provided for her daughter, with her own guard," Teal'c nodded.

"And we're just going to charge them?" Daniel questioned.

"No, Daniel. You're going to distract them so either Carter or I can get a gun to the kid's head and see her 'safely' to the 'Gate and back here," Jack glanced up to the control room, "open the iris!" he called. He glanced back to his newly reformed team, "Clear?"

"Crystal."

"Yes, Sir."

"Indeed."

He paused at the start of the ramp, head tilted, waiting for any warning shots to be fired. Jack shrugged and activated the ancient device, abruptly vanishing, "Carter?"

Sam blinked, confused, as his voice came from several metres from where he had last been standing, "Sir," she touched her wrist and vanished, headed up the ramp.

"Don't open the iris until we radio," Jack stated.

Daniel frowned as a disembodied voice was heard to curse.

"Personal space, Carter."

"Sorry, Sir. I can't see you either."

"Well, this is going to be fun!" Jack quipped, the slight ripple in the blue of the event horizon the only signal he had stepped through the 'Gate. A second shift showed his 2IC had followed a second later.

"…I say they're either going to jump or kill each other," Daniel muttered.

* * *

Rei was wandering through the small corridors that connected the VIP rooms, arms folded, eyes on the floor. A guard had been posted, not at her door, but in the vicinity, something she resented, for some reason. It wasn't as if she was going to make a run for it. Or attack anyone. If anything, she was the one who had had harm done to her, not the reverse. She crossed past the main intersection leading to the corridor, still pacing, only to be sent crashing to the ground, stunned, "Watch where you're going!" she snapped, annoyed, attempting to pick herself up off the floor. 

"I apologise," a dark skinned young man held out a hand to help her to her feet.

She frowned and took it, "Sorry, you caught me off guard."

"Have you been assigned quarters here?"

"For the time being. I guess," she glanced back toward the guard, "Unless I'm a prisoner. I know I'm not allowed to leave. Until my Mom gets back, at least."

"Your mother has gone through the Stargate?"

"…Apparently," Rei frowned, "Who are you?"

"Sa'rac. My father is Rya'c, son of Teal'c."

Her eyes widened slightly, "Oh…so…you're not…"

"We are not of the same race, no," he shook his head, "Though we are basically most similar, descended from the same ancestors."

Rei stared for several more seconds before she snapped out of it, "I'm sorry, its just…you're the first…alien…I've met. I think," she held out her hand politely, "I'm Rei Shanahan."

"You are the first young woman I have met of your world," he smiled ever so slightly, shaking her hand.

She returned the smile, her unease fading, glad to have found someone else her own age around, even if he was an alien. And somebody who wasn't Jason O'Neill. Rei took a step back and gestured toward her room, "Well, you tell me about where you come from and I'll tell you about Earth, deal?"

"I should like that very much."

* * *

Jason stood at the back of the Infirmary, arms tightly folded, face set in angry lines. He kicked the wall before he leant back against it, shaking his head. Okay. It had to be nothing more than a physical attraction. He barely knew the girl. And being friends with her, let alone anything more, was a betrayal of his mother. The name of Carter had done enough damage in his family, even if she was calling herself Shanahan. He exhaled; life was evidently determined to play some sort of sick game with him. He couldn't deny that Rei was attractive. A little shorter than him, dark hair, deep eyes. Yes, he probably would have pursued her at school. But there was something about her manner, how naïve she appeared, yet stronger than she would ever let on. Shy and well spoken, almost lost. Damnit. Had to just be a crush. He had thought kissing her would let him put all thoughts of her out of his mind. Just get over the physical aspect of the attraction and move on. But he couldn't stop thinking of her, or their kiss. Even if he had forced himself on her. 

"If I were your mother I would have reprimanded you for your behaviour by now," Janet's voice alerted him to her presence at the door to her office.

He shot her a cruel smile, "No, if you were my mother, you would be pleased I'd taken a Carter down a peg or two."

"Your mother is somewhat paranoid. You're just kids. Even she doesn't know what was between your father and Rei's mother. Each of us could say what we think and all be wrong. Your mother always saw Sam as a threat. Even when she was married. She didn't understand. And neither do you, or Rei, or Belle, or any of you who think that playing 'piece the past together' is going to get you anywhere. You're the results of paths chosen. Yes, everyone has regrets, don't we all?" Janet shot back.

"She should've said she was a Carter," Jason stubbornly insisted.

"What significance was it to her? She knew nothing of the SGC, nothing of her mother's past, absolutely nothing about any of this. She's innocent," she walked toward him, "and so are you, to some extent. You're not bitter, you have no reason to be. So don't take your mother's anger as your own. Get to know Rei Shanahan. Not Miss Carter."

"You're just saying this because she's your goddaughter," he began to stalk out of the Infirmary.

"No, Jason," Janet's voice called him back for a moment, "I'm saying this because its true. And because I love you like you were one of my own kids."

The fight was gone from his dark eyes only for a moment, before he slammed up a mask of fury and stormed away.

* * *

She managed to take out three of the Jaffa before they located her exact position, and was thankful when her CO managed to hit the other two before they shot her down. Sam looked around, as if she expected to see him somewhere amongst the fallen bodies. Only the click of a radio guided told her how close he was. 

"This is O'Neill. Send Teal'c and Daniel through, all clear, over."

"That seemed too easy," Sam commented.

"I must be the only one this out of practise then…"

"You really didn't go on any missions?"

He sighed, "Not a lot. Didn't grow to love the desk though. And I figured the kids needed both parents and staying safe was probably the better idea, even if I did want to follow Daniel and Teal'c out there half the time. There was just something missing."

She shifted, uncomfortable. Someone, not something. She'd run, glad of the excuse of being an expectant mother, and left them all. They'd both hidden behind a desk. She had loved him. She couldn't lie and say she hadn't. But she couldn't afford to forever wait for a forbidden love to one day become what they'd been denied. So she'd got married. And loved her husband. And run away.

"…I'm sorry…" she said softly, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Don't be."

"…Why not?"

"Because that makes me wonder what could've happened if we'd both been brave enough to face reality," Jack's voice was suddenly several paces away from her.

"Nice work, guys," Daniel's tone bordered on distaste as he took in the scene before him.

"The smoke from the tree-line seems the most fruitful location to head to," Teal'c observed.

Jack deactivated the device on his wrist, not quite able to hide the pensive look on his face before he appeared again, "Let's go get us a princess Goa'uld," he headed off.

Sam was left standing by the 'Gate for several long moments, still cloaked by the device, staring after her former team, tired and longing expression on her features. No. No good would come of picking apart paths chosen. She loved her kids. She wouldn't do anything to change what she had. But still… She deactivated the device and strode after them, just able to pretend it was sixteen years ago and they were just on another mission like all the others. Before she had started glancing at her CO too often and noticing how often he glanced back.


	13. Mery

**Notes:** The update warning from last chapter still stands; it depends on how much of this I get written before the three weeks in Athens, because there's not a chance of updates then. Thanks for reviewing and thanks to Rini - the message on my answerphone had me grinning like an idiot, walking the streets of Munich!

* * *

"I still don't get the whole tent thing. You can shoot through a tent. You can burn a tent right down to the ground and still they just love to sit in their tents and do…whatever it is they do in their off hours," Jack handed the binoculars to Teal'c. 

"Its tradition. I suppose," Daniel frowned, "Though the Egyptians didn't have tent houses. Even the temporary structures. Not the regular people, anyway."

"If I'd've known tents were the superior housing of the gods, I would've gone camping more often."

"False gods," Teal'c stated.

"Dead false gods," Sam tried a smile.

"Many dead false gods," Daniel returned the smile.

"Unfortunately not the one we want," Jack took back the binoculars and got back to his feet, wincing as he did so, "I'm getting too old for this."

"You said that years ago."

"Yeah, well now I'm really too old for this."

"I am inclined to believe there must be a reason for so few guards surrounding Satra's daughter," Teal'c began.

"Fewer Jaffa, more than ever are free now," Sam proposed.

"Depends on whether or not she can create her own symbionts to create more Jaffa, or whether she's just pressing others into service. She's a bit late with this revival, you have to admit. There are hardly any Goa'uld to lord over," Daniel shrugged.

"But plenty of people and she's got the technology of those dead Goa'uld to do it with," Jack started down the hill toward the small camp, staying in the tree line, "But we've got the tech to nab her kid and run like hell."

"Again, why exactly are we bothering to do this? Why not just try taking a shot at Satra?"

"This way, we know we've got them both, and this Sat-Kenret isn't going to try avenging her mother. At least, not whilst in our custody. Once we've got the daughter, we're going after Satra. We've got a hostage. With nobody to unite the Goa'uld, hopefully they'll stay as quiet as they have been. Maybe we can even free the child's host," Sam elaborated.

"And if none of this goes to plan?"

"Then the war begins again," Teal'c answered.

"I was afraid of that answer."

"Wont be us, Danny boy. We've got desks. And some of us have pensions soon to claim," Jack muttered, "As much as that's a frightening thought. Believe me, I'd rather be out here than sending someone else into it."

"Not what you've been saying all these years," Daniel shot back.

Sam remained tactfully silent.

"…Things have been different 'all these years'."

* * *

"So you were trained to fight since you were five years old?" Rei stared, sitting at the end of her bed, cross legged, whilst Sa'rac sat at the head of it. 

"Not physical combat, but early training in attack patterns and enemy weaknesses," he nodded.

"…In some places, children are only just learning to read by then…"

"But your children are not required to fight. From what I know of this…Air…Force…you choose whether or not you join. It isn't wise for Jaffa children, for anybody, to be defenceless, even if it eliminates the choice."

She shrugged, feeling somewhat inferior on behalf of humanity, "I suppose we haven't got people trying to kill us every day. Though we do enough of that between our own countries, let alone other worlds," Rei shook her head, "Some people take self defence classes," she offered him a weak smile, "Sounds stupid, compared to your people. And even then, half the people who take them are only trying to stop themselves being attacked in dark alleys."

"We are only trained through necessity. My younger sisters are not being trained in combat as early as I was. Often our women are not trained at all, but my mother…my mother has a different way of thinking. She came from a group of all female Jaffa…they learnt not to require the protection of men…and I suppose she believes my sisters should be able to defend themselves, at least, one day. She's a formidable warrior," Sa'rac stated, with great pride, "What of your family?"

"Well, my Dad's a cop."

"Cop?"

"Policeman. Works in the police force. They're the people who make sure the laws of our country are enforced," Rei elaborated. She sighed as her thoughts turned to her mother, "My Mom is Colonel Carter, she works here now. And used to…as far as I know. A few weeks ago, we didn't even live here…and I didn't know about any of this until today. I mean, I knew Mom was Airforce, but I thought she was 'desk job' Airforce, not 'going to kick alien butt' Airforce."

"Your mother is Colonel Samantha Carter?" Sa'rac sounded impressed.

"Yeah," she frowned, "Why?"

"My father, and his father, speak most highly of her. They believe her to be a great warrior."

"Really?"

"Of course. She played a great role in freeing many of my people from the Goa'uld."

"They're the guys who take people over, right?" Rei questioned.

"The parasitic false gods, yes."

She smiled. If it wasn't for the fact that they were sitting together talking about aliens, and that she knew he was one, she could have sworn Sa'rac was just a normal guy in her school year. Aside from how he dressed and his slightly different speech pattern, "This is so strange."

"This is an out of the ordinary event for myself also," he returned the smile, "Do you have siblings?"

"Three," she mock sighed, "Annika, my little sister, a couple of years younger than me. She's brilliant. She got the brains of the family. Then there's the twins, Rob and Paul. I swear they're never going to grow up."

"I often think the same of my youngest sister."

"She steal your things too?"

"Indeed."

About to continue their conversation, Rei jumped when she heard a knock at the door. Believing it not to be really 'her' room, she thought she had no choice but to agree to entry, "Come in," her expression darkened as she caught sight of Jason in the doorway. She frowned, opting to behave in an aggressive manner rather than let her nerves and apprehension get the better of her, "What do you want?" she demanded.

Jason hesitated, mirroring her frown as he saw a guy he didn't know sitting on her bed, "I…came to see how you were," he lied.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"I need to talk to you," he tried.

"I'm busy."

Sa'rac stood up, sensing her displeasure with the boy at the door, "We are in the middle of a conversation."

"I need to talk to Rei," Jason snapped.

"She does not wish to speak with you. She's already stated this."

Rei got up off the bed, "Jason, leave it. Your version of 'talking' doesn't measure up to everybody else's. Go talk to somebody who wants to listen. Somebody else you can violate," she glared at him, refusing to look away, afraid that, if she did, he'd see right through her.

* * *

It all happened so quickly, Sam swore she had to be getting old to have been able to keep up with such action in the past. When Teal'c took out the two Jaffa guarding the entrance to the small camp, the whole place fell into disorder, with no sign of Sat-Khenret, shots being fired everywhere. She activated the device on her wrist, grabbing the device to stop transportation from the pocket of her vest as she did so. Able to see Daniel and unable to see the General, she presumed he had done the same, as she shot the Jaffa that charged her vanishing form, backing away and running, dodging to avoid crossfire as she did so. She had thought invisibility would be an asset, would mean she wouldn't have to concentrate so much on not getting hit, but found that once they knew, and presumed there were more of them, with the ability, the blind firing made it even more difficult to get to the tent which they had thought Sat-Khenret was residing in. One of the Jaffa by the entrance fell as she reached it, as the other fired and she shot him in the chest. Sam frowned and briefly glanced around, knowing it could only have been Jack who shot the other, "General?" she swore on not getting a reply, and entered the tent, to be faced with an irate young girl, in her mid teens. 

"What is the meaning of this?" the 'princess' rushed straight past her, to the entrance, "Jaffa!"

Sam deactivated the device keeping her hidden, glad to see no hand weapon on the girl, "Turn around. Slowly. Now."

Sat-Khenret halted, hesitating.

"Now."

She did so, vainly brushing amber tinted hair over her shoulder as she complied, "Who are you?" she demanded, in a voice that sounded younger than her appearance.

Sam frowned, noticing the difference, and that she didn't sound at all like a Goa'uld. Sure behaved and 'felt' like one though. She strode forward and slapped the extra technology between her shoulder blades, "It doesn't concern you," she held her P-90 to her head, "But you're coming with me."

"I will do no such thing."

"Did I say you had a choice?" she spoke as a mother would to her child, reactivating the invisibility device and giving the girl a shove toward the entrance. Once outside, she kept the P-90 pressed to Sat-Khenret's back as she halted, "General?" she called again.

"Sam, let's go!" Daniel shouted.

"I can't find the General!"

"How pathetic you are," her prisoner laughed.

"General?" Sam shouted. Damned invisibility devices. More trouble than they were worth. She gripped Sat-Khenret's shoulder, turning around to scan the area, "General?"

"We must make haste. Word will soon reach Satra!" Teal'c reminded them.

"We can't just leave him, I can't see him!" Sam snapped.

"Get her back to the 'Gate, we'll meet you there, we'll stay and search," Daniel swore under his breath as the cart in his weapon became empty.

Cursing all the way back, Sam practically dragged Sat-Khenret away from the camp, for a split second, wishing she, and the General, had stayed at their desk jobs.

-

"…Something's wrong…"

Belle turned to see Harriet staring mournfully up at her, "Did one of the guys take your candy bar?"

"No," the young girl shook her head, "I mean something's really, really, really, wrong," she had tears in her eyes.

In the early stages of her then unknown pregnancy with her youngest child, Janet had been exposed to the full power of a race of physic beings whilst on a rare off-world mission. She, and the team she was with, including Daniel and Teal'c, had been hearing each other's thoughts and sensing each other's pain for days, until the effects had faded. What had started with her operating on a fatally injured alien being had ended with her discovering she was pregnant, and later, as her daughter grew up, discovering the girl had some form of faint link to those she was emotionally closest to. At the time, she had cursed herself for putting her unborn child in danger, already knowing, at the age she was, she was cutting it too fine to be able to carry another healthy child to term. Hating the real reasons why Harriet woke crying in the night, her mother, and her family, had gradually learnt to really listen to their youngest when she said something was wrong.

"Who?" Belle questioned, kneeling beside her.

"…Dad."

"Is he hurt?"

Harriet paused, deep in thought, "…I don't think so…but he's fighting…and worried. And he's not here."

Belle lunged for the phone that hung on the wall, hitting the speed dial, "This is Isabelle Jackson. Get me Doctor Frasier, please."

* * *

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" 

Still trying to glare Jason down, Rei looked up, back at Sa'rac, then back to Jason, "What does that mean?"

Jason bolted from the door, "That someone's trying to connect to our 'Gate."

"What?" she shouted after him. She glanced at Sa'rac, "Coming along?"

"Of course."

They both broke into a run, trying to catch up with Jason, ignoring the indignant shouts of the guard posted at the VIP quarters. When they finally did catch him, he was in the briefing room, staring down at the 'Gate room through the wall of glass.

"Mom!" Rei caught sight of her mother, shoving a young girl down the ramp before her.

The wormhole disengaged, leaving only four figures, including the one none recognised, on the ramp.

"Where's my Dad?" Jason snapped. He stared, "Where's my Dad?" he ran from the room, headed for the control room.

Rei stared after him, then jumped as she saw her mother snap her fist back and strike the girl, who appeared even younger than Rei herself. She'd never seen her mother hit anyone. Never raised a hand to any of her children, even as a joke, "Wh-What's going on?"

"Sa'rac!" Rya'c stood at the door to the briefing room.

"Father?"

He strode forward to look down on the scene in the 'Gate room, "I see they have captured a Goa'uld."

* * *

"Could've done that myself, Sam," Daniel muttered, after Sat-Khenret had lunged for him. 

"I felt the urge," she cursed again.

"We must return to locate O'Neill immediately," Teal'c stated.

The Goa'uld 'princess' laughed and glared up at them from the floor, "My mother will have him now. Your accomplice is dead."

"Quiet," Daniel snapped. He shook his head, "What is your name?"

"Mery. Merysatra," she spat.

"Beloved," he mumbled, "Beloved of Satra, just lovely."

"You have made a grave mistake."

"I doubt that," Sam replied. She prised the invisibility device off her wrist and threw it away from her, "The only mistake we made was using those!"

"We shall need reinforcements," Teal'c began.

"A grave mistake indeed," Mery slowly stood up, glaring at Sam in triumph. She folded her arms like the stubborn teenager she presumably was, "I am harsesis."


	14. Backlash

"She's lying," Sam snapped, after a moment's silence.

"I must agree with Colonel Carter," Teal'c stated, "I sense the presence of a symbiont."

"Or some form of Goa'uld," she stepped closer to Mery, determined to grab her if she so much as moved a couple of paces.

Mery rolled her eyes, "You people are so simple. Actually, that's what mother always said. The Tau'ri were simple."

"We captured you," Daniel answered, somewhat smugly.

She accorded him a mock bow, "Oh yes, a child, you captured a child, I'm sorry, well done."

Teal'c narrowed his eyes, "She does not behave in the manner one would expect from a Goa'uld."

"'She' is right here. And 'she' is not a Goa'uld. Technically," Mery shot him a sarcastic smile.

Sam shook her head, "Get her to the Infirmary. I want full scans, bloods, everything," she gave the girl a shove toward the nearest SF.

"'She' is also a princess," she glared back over her shoulder at Sam.

"Not here you're not. Get her out of here."

"Not a Goa'uld, yet you both say you can sense the presence of one. Doesn't have the voice, claims she's harsesis, acts like a petulant teenager…" Daniel frowned.

"She is in our custody. At present, we must assemble teams to retrieve O'Neill," Teal'c countered.

"Teal'c's right," Sam nodded, wearily running a hand through her hair, "You're sure you couldn't see him anywhere? Even just something the Jaffa tripped over?"

"No sight, no trace, no indignant yelling," the archaeologist replied.

She was almost frozen to her spot at the base of the ramp, "…We left him behind. We never leave people behind. We just left him…"

"His orders were to get Sat…Mery, whatever she claims to be called, back here. He would've ordered you to go if he could have."

"Doesn't make it right," she started to move off.

"Consider this, Colonel Carter," Teal'c tried to reassure her, "We have the daughter of Satra in our custody. If she is indeed harsesis and truly 'beloved' of Satra, she will know much of her mother's plans, from even before her birth. She may know many of Satra's strongholds."

"If we can get her to talk…"

"Doesn't seem like the kind of girl to keep quiet…" Daniel muttered.

"Let go of me!" Jason's voice rang out down the corridor.

"What the…"

"Let go!" he struggled against the solider that held him back. He caught Sam's gaze as they walked past, "Where's my dad?" he demanded.

She halted, and knew it was a mistake the moment she stopped, "I don't know," she answered honestly.

"You left him on whatever planet you just came back from!" he shouted.

"Your father chose to go on this mission, Jason," Daniel answered.

"You just left him behind! How many times has he sent people after you, gone after you? Huh? And you just leave him!" Jason glared at Sam, "She gets back here and suddenly its alright to abandon my dad on some planet and leave him to die!"

Sam shook her head sadly and sighed, before walking on.

"Its your fault! You hear me? Its your damn fault! Everything's screwed up here because of you!"

"Be silent, Jason O'Neill," Teal'c looked down at him, voice deadly low.

Daniel sighed, shooting a disappointed glance in his direction, "You never did know when to shut up, did you, Jason? You want to know something about that woman you just yelled at for no good reason? She saved your father's ass more times than anyone else around here. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. We all left that planet, we searched, and they were your father's orders," he turned away and headed after Sam.

Jason stopped struggling, settling for glaring after Daniel, furious.

"Your father would be most disappointed in your behaviour," Teal'c followed his team mates.

He shrugged the solider off him and turned to head back deeper into the base, hopefully find something he could kick the crap out of. He strangely wished Belle was there; she would let him rant and rave and not make it seem like he was crazy or out of line. Generally because she understood and really would hit home her thoughts on his behaviour when the time came. Jason was somewhat stunned to see the figures of Rei and Sa'rac a few metres away, having witnessed his whole outburst.

Shaking with fury, Rei stalked forward toward him, drawing her hand back and delivering a sharp slap that echoed round the room, "Don't you ever, _ever_, speak to my mother like that again!" she shouted, "You selfish, self absorbed, pathetic excuse for a human being!" she whirled back round and walked 'calmly' away, hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Sa'rac hesitated for a moment to observe the expression on his face, "I believe I would be correct in saying you deserved that. I would not follow her," this said, that was exactly what he did.

"Believe me, I got no intention of following her," Jason mumbled, bringing one hand up to his stinging face. He winced as his breathing began to slow down and the anger drained from him, another emotion creeping in instead. It felt suspiciously like shame.

* * *

He never really had sorted out in his mind which was worse; being shot or being hit by a staff blast. Though much complaining ensued after being shot with a zat, it was like falling over in the playground compared to the others. He supposed there was always the bullet to be removed if you were shot, but then, there was a pretty damn big wound if you were hit by a staff. Jack twitched, not opening his eyes. He still wasn't quite sure what was causing the pain in his back. If he'd been shot, maybe there would be nerve damage, a bullet lodged somewhere it shouldn't be, and he couldn't move. He moved his legs and decided that wasn't the case. Besides, Carter wouldn't have shot him. Right? And Daniel really had got better with the weapons deal over the years. Staff blast. Damned Jaffa. He swore, loudly.

"So whatever we have here does have a voice. Is definitely humanoid, but appears to be invisible…"

Jack looked up into the eyes of a woman with dark hair and eyes, who was clearly directing her words at him.

"Attempts to deactivate the device prove fruitless. However, the blood it sheds when it moves reveals its movements. For now. Perhaps until it is drained completely," she smiled cruelly, "I propose it deactivates the device itself."

"I propose you shove that proposal up your ass," he coughed.

She knelt beside him, now grinning, "It is most stupid to believe you have any form of power here. We can locate you, despite whatever it is you are using to remain 'hidden' and we know there was more than one of you. And considering my beloved child is now missing… You are of little value, even with any information you think will keep you alive. She has a greater chance of coming back to me than you have of 'leading' me to her, into what would most likely be a trap."

Jack rolled onto his back, arching in pain as he did so, locating the wound near the base of his spine, "I killed your father. We've got your daughter. And go ahead, shoot me. I've heard better speeches. Trust me, you want to keep me alive. And if you don't, hey, go for it. But you'll never get her back if I'm dead. Oh, and did I mention that they're so going to kick your sorry ass for this?" if he ignored the ache in his bones and blanked out everything he knew, he could pretend the past sixteen years hadn't happened, and yeah, they were so going to kick her ass, without question. They were a team. Nobody could stop them. At least, that was how it had often seemed.

Satra stood up, "Perhaps you will not be quite so defiant when you have lost more blood," she kicked out with a strike that was painfully accurate for a guess, "and when you realise that they don't know where to locate you. Sooner or later, you will have to deactivate that device. If only when you die," she wandered away, as if she had all the time in the world.

Jack stifled a string of curses, struggling to stay conscious as shooting pains ran up his spine, his wound refusing to be ignored. He noticed more blood seeping from it to form a pool around him as he blacked out.

* * *

She had sat in the empty briefing room for minutes on end, as Sa'rac tried to make conversation, clearly concerned. He even made several very derogatory remarks about Jason, that she wasn't sure were for her benefit or his own satisfaction. Jason. She wanted to throttle him. It was alright for him to say such things about, and to, her mother, and claim he was the injured party, when her world had been turned upside down in a day? Did it matter that his father had loved her mother, that she had returned his feelings? Had they acted on them? No. Apparently not. Was she going around, ranting and raving about his father? No. She had been dragged all the way to a new town, new school, and, oh, wait, new universe. He was just throwing a tantrum because his world didn't seem so perfect anymore. So what her mother had been in love with someone other than her father? So damn what? Rei was still trying to convince herself that none of it mattered as she mumbled an apology to Sa'rac and left the room. If she could just crush the physical attraction to felt toward Jason, everything would be just fine. Really. Everything. Just fine. Right.

* * *

"Who do we report to?" Sam sank down on the bench in the centre of their locker room.

"What do you mean?" Daniel questioned.

"Who do we go explain this to? Get new orders? Get permission to go back?"

Teal'c slowly looked back at her, shutting the door on his locker, a little confused.

"Sam, you're Jack's second in command," Daniel reminded her.

"I was. Not anymore," she replied.

"No, I mean, you are now."

"What?" Sam stared.

"You're in command. You have the rank and seniority-"

"Now I feel old."

"He trusts you. I can't believe he didn't tell you there was nobody else for you to report to."

"It would be most like O'Neill to 'forget' such a fact," Teal'c added.

She stood up, "…I can't run this place."

"You ran a department at the pentagon. More personnel than here," Daniel reminded her.

"Years ago."

"Once we have the intelligence from Merysatra, we will be able to put together a mission to retrieve O'Neill. Having nobody to report to but yourself with make this a great deal easier."

"…Well…not exactly…" Daniel began, "…But yeah, I suppose you're in charge. Essentially."

"…The President…"

"I suspect you're gonna have to call him…"

"Rei. Oh god, she's still here."

"Gonna have to do something about that…"

"Mery. The Infirmary."

"And her…"

"And Pete. Annika. Rob, Paul. I wont be home."

"…Them too…"

Sam sighed, "…Now I know why he hated being General so much…" she started for the door, "Right. Okay. The President. I've got a phone call to make."

* * *

"Rei!"

She had been wandering around the base aimlessly for quite a while, glad that nobody seemed to be 'guarding' her anymore. Maybe they'd forgotten. But she hadn't expected to hear Belle's voice echoing along the corridor. Rei frowned, "…I thought you went home, Belle," she caught sight of Harriet, clutching her sister's hand tightly, "Hi, Harriet."

"I did. But Harriet says there's something wrong, Dad's worried, or hurt, or concerned, I don't know. I didn't think they were going off-world, but she says they were fighting, and," Belle exhaled slowly, "Sorry, lot of things going on."

She frowned, "…But you were at home."

"Yeah, I had to beg our neighbours to watch the rest of the horde whilst I was gone."

"…So how do you know something's wrong?"

"Oh…" Belle paused, "…Well…"

"I just know," Harriet nodded solemnly.

"She can sense things. Only about our family or people she knows really well, but she's sorta…linked to them, I guess. She knows what they're feeling…or thinking, sometimes. Something happened to Mom when she was pregnant with her, it affected her," she explained.

"…Wow…I…er…I guess that can be a good thing."

"Sometimes," Belle sighed, "What's going on?"

"…Jason's dad didn't come back from wherever they went. But they brought some girl back with them…" Rei shook her head, "That's all I know."

"Shit," she winced as she looked down at Harriet, "Sorry."

"Let's go find Dad and Mama," her little sister started to tug her along.

"Coming along? You seem a little lost. We should find Jay, too."

"And Sa'rac."

"Sa'rac?"

"New friend."

"Sounds like a Jaffa name," Belle mused.

"I think he is…from what he told me. He's alien, I know that much," Rei started to follow her, "…I…about Jason…"

"Yeah?"

She paused, then shook her head, "Never mind."


	15. The Hidden Truth

**Notes:** Okay, this is me back in the country. Question time, one question I'd really like an answer to. If you don't want to answer it in a review, I'd really appreciate it if you dropped me even a one line e-mail answer. Why are you guys reading this? Because I know a lot of you are and I actually have no idea why. Do you think I'm going to get Sam and Jack together? Rei and Jason? Anyone else? Seriously guys, I have no idea.

* * *

"Mama!" Harriet broke from Belle's side as soon as they reached the Infirmary and she caught sight of their mother. The dark haired child ran and flung herself at Janet, hugging her tightly, before she was picked up and placed on the nearest bed. 

Janet directed two nurses to the 'patient' behind the screen and ordered the security detail closer before she turned her attention to her daughters.

Belle sighed and wandered across the room to meet them, waving Rei in when she hovered by the door, uncertain. She came to a halt by the bed her youngest sister was seated on, "I'm sorry, Mom, she just got so wound up and I didn't know what was going on…" she shook her head, "I just can't tell when its serious anymore. Or maybe Harri can't. I don't know. I thought better safe than sorry."

Janet hugged her youngest close as Harriet started to cry again, holding a hand out to Belle to reassure her, "Its okay. You did the right thing."

"…Is she okay?" Rei asked, quietly.

She brushed the hair away from her daughter's forehead, making her look up at her, "She will be. Wont you, honey?"

Harriet nodded through her tears and sniffed, trying to stop crying even as more tears fell silently.

"What happened? What did you feel?"

The girl shook her head and sniffed again, "I don't know. Daddy was scared and worried and lost and I didn't know what was going on. He didn't either. And he was angry and hurt and I didn't know what to do. I-I thought he m-might be hurt and h-he wouldn't come home…" Harriet gazed up at her mother, "I'm sorry, Mama, I didn't know, honest…"

"Its okay, Harri, I'm right here," her father's voice came from the door to the Infirmary. Daniel moved to stand beside his wife and hugged his daughter to reassure her, "I'm sorry I scared you," why he was apologising, he didn't know, even if he did try to suppress his emotions, she would always know, if only that he was hiding something. He was just glad that she was still young enough to not understand everything she sensed from people.

"I'm sorry, Daddy…"

"Its okay. You can't help it, nobody's angry, understand?"

Harriet nodded and stared at the floor, almost embarrassed.

"How's our new friend?" Daniel gestured to the screens behind which Mery was being restrained.

Janet sighed, "Just a little angry. And sarcastic. And full of herself. And trouble in general. Basically, if I didn't know she wasn't entirely human, I'd think she was an average teenage girl."

"Hey," Belle feigned offence.

"Is that girl my Mom brought back in there?" Rei questioned.

"Yes. Don't go near her," the Doctor answered.

She frowned, tilting her head, "…I've got this weird feeling…its not really in my head…its like…its in my stomach…and my heart…and everywhere…is she doing that?"

Daniel blinked, "…Yes…and no."

"It's the element in your blood. She has it too, so you can sense her and she can probably sense you too…I'm surprised she isn't creating hell over it, come to think of it…" Janet answered.

"Haven't you had that feeling all the time? With your Mom?" Belle asked.

Rei shrugged, confused, "…I guess I never really thought about it…until it was gone…or it increased…I don't know…"

"Any results yet?" Daniel glanced back at the screens.

"Waiting on her bloods and we're about to do full body and system scans," his wife replied, "…She keeps stating she's a princess and I was told she'd said she was harsesis, but we all assumed she was a Goa'uld…" she paused in thought, "She acts like a Goa'uld, self involved, egotistical, but she's just acting like a kid too. If she were a Goa'uld, I'd have expected the symbiont to have wanted a word by now. And its not as if she's fighting against anything. Not that her manner shows. She might be telling the truth; she might well be harsesis."

Daniel shook his head in dismay, "…And that makes her more trouble than a Goa'uld in the first place…"

"She knows you're talking about her!" an outraged female voice rang out across the Infirmary.

"Precisely…"

"What happened to Jack?" Belle interrupted.

He regarded his daughter with weary eyes, "…He came along on the mission with us…we're assuming he got hit and couldn't deactivate the invisibility device…we couldn't find him, and we had to get Mery back here."

"But you're gonna get him back, right?"

"That's the plan."

Belle nodded, eyes betraying her fear, "…Where's Jay?"

"Somewhere sulking, I presume."

"Sulking?"

"He decided to tell Colonel Carter exactly how he felt about her presence here…"

Rei shifted awkwardly on the spot, "…And…I…may have slapped him…"

She raised her eyebrows, "Slapped him?"

"He was out of line," she answered, unrepentant.

"Good on you, if he was."

Rei stared and took a step back, not expecting that reaction.

Belle shot her a half smile and started for the door to the Infirmary, "I'll go find him. You guys can take care of Harriet, right? Call if you need me, I'll look after her for a while. And keep me posted about Jack…please…" she nodded and left the room.

* * *

He kicked the wall again and continued his pacing back and forth in what had become his on-base quarters over the years. From playroom to sleeping room to just another bedroom, once he had finally convinced them to remove the CCTV camera from it. Jason cursed when he heard a knock at the door, about to shout an angry dismissal when it opened anyway. 

Belle closed the door behind her and leant back against it, arms folded, "Well, are you proud of yourself?"

He refused to answer and kept on pacing.

"You're going to alienate everyone on this base at this rate."

Still pacing.

"I'm not going to stand here all day, so we can settle this the way we did when we were kids or you can start talking. I'm sure you wouldn't like your ass handed to you by a girl after all this," she taunted.

"You haven't beaten me in years," Jason stated, not looking up.

"Wanna risk it?"

"I thought you went home."

"Harriet was scared. I came back. Talk. Now."

He returned to his silent pacing.

Belle sighed, "I could just tell everyone that you still thought the moon was made of cheese at twelve years old."

He looked up at her, "I didn't."

"Who would people believe?" she moved across the room to sit on his bed, "What is it about Rei and the 'Carter' name that has you so wound up? You liked her perfectly well before you knew she would've been Rei Carter. And what were you thinking going off on one at Sam?"

"'Sam' now is it?" Jason snapped.

"Yes, Jay, she's my godmother and even if you can't stand the sight of her, doesn't mean I have to treat her in the same disrespectful manner."

"You've been spending too much time with your dad."

"You've been spending too much time with your mom."

He cursed again and fell back against the wall. Jason stared angrily across the room at his best friend for several long moments before he spoke, "…They loved each other."

She decided to play dumb, "Hate to break this to you Jay, but my Dad really doesn't-"

"Carter. Dad and Carter. They loved each other."

Belle shrugged, "So?"

"So? So?" he raged, "Carter was still here when Mom was. When they were both married. And she loved my Dad!"

"And he loved her, so what? He married your mom!"

"He betrayed her! He married her when he loved another woman! And she knew about it! All of it! She doesn't trust Carter at all; you should've heard the arguments when she heard she was coming back!"

Belle stood up, "So damn what, Jay? So they were in love! Your dad and Rei's mom loved each other! Did they do anything about it? No! Did they have an affair? No! Your dad loved your mom enough to marry her and have three children! God, Jay, he loves your mom so much! And all of you! How can you be like this just because you find out your parents didn't have such a straightforward romance? You telling me you've never given up something you loved? Don't be such an ass! You're so like Jack and you don't see it! Stubborn! You see Rei treating you with the same contempt you treat her with? No! After all you've seen in your life and you choose now to act like a child! Grow up!" she shouted. She thought perhaps she'd stunned him into silence, and was pleased she had, but her hopes were dashed when she saw his eyes narrow.

"…Did they have an affair?"

"Jason! No! Leave it!" she exclaimed.

"…Who knows?"

"You're unbelievable."

Jason shook his head, "No, they're unbelievable. If they were so much in love, you think they'd just walk away?" he started for the door, "And I can prove to Rei there's so much more to this than anyone's ever told us."

"No!" she started after him, but stopped at the door, eyes wide, when she realised giving chase was useless.

* * *

Rei was back in her VIP suite when the door was slammed open, making her jump from the half-slumber she had finally managed to achieve. She sat up, glaring as her eyes rested on the figure across the room, "Get out." 

"No."

"I'll call security."

"Go ahead," Jason shrugged, "Wont be the first time I've had security called on me," he shoved to the back of his mind how strangely adorable she looked when startled.

"Where's my Mom?" she demanded.

"Probably dealing with running this place, now my Dad's been left behind and all," he shot back.

Rei shook her head, "Get out."

"No."

"Then why-"

He brought his hands out from behind his back to reveal an object just bigger than one of his hands. Jason held it up, waving it at her, "Want to know the truth?"

She sighed, "Truth about what?"

"Our parents. What went on."

"Not really," she affected disinterest.

"Well, I just swiped this from one of the labs and I'm probably gonna get my ass kicked for stealing artefacts again, so I could use this on my own anyway. Then you'd never know if I was telling the truth or not."

"If it'll shut you up and make you leave me alone, then I'll do it," Rei snapped, "…Whatever it is…" she added, hesitant.

"Its an Ancient device," he threw it at her, expecting her to catch it, grinning as he caught her off-guard, "I can activate it. Four people can use it at a time, but it depends on how many people's minds and memories you want to target."

"This sounds stupid."

"This sounds interesting," he corrected her, "And you know it. It acts like a lie detector test, the ultimate lie detector. You can use it to link your mind to whoever you want, target a specific incident or claim and you re-live it, exactly as they did. No deviations, no lies, no making anything up. Just the truth."

Rei swung her legs over the side of her bed, the device clutched in one hand, "And you think I'll use this with you, why? You've violated me and insulted my mother on several occasions, what makes you think I trust you enough to not think you'll be making things up?"

All the fight left him and Jason was left gazing across the room at her, despair in his eyes, "…Because you want to know the truth…why I can't trust your family…and if anything we've been told about our parents' relationships has been true…"

She stood up, "…I just want to know the truth. I don't know what you want to gain through this."

He wouldn't make eye contact with her, "…I just want to know if…your mom…and my dad…were ever together…even when they were married to other people…"

"I trust my Mom."

"And I trust mine. So one of them has to be wrong."

"They could both be right."

"Or wrong."

Rei held out the device, "Just do it. Whatever you want to do. Just do it and then this stops and I can get out of this madhouse and get on with my life."

He held the circular device balance on one of his palms for a moment, before he pressed his index and middle fingers into two indentations on one quarter. It began to emit a gentle light and he looked up at her expectantly.

"…W-What do I do?" she hated that her voice shook when she asked.

"Think of your mom. And ask her what you want to know. She might feel something, get a headache, but she'll never know what we're doing."

"This is a violation."

"This is the only way to get the truth."

"And what do you do?" she questioned.

"I think of my Dad. And I ask him the same thing," Jason answered, "I just hope it works over such a long distance…" he swallowed, "…and he's alive…"

She took the final step toward him to mimic Jason and press her fingers into the indentations opposite the ones his were in, "…Now…what?" her voice was soft.

Jason paused in thought, "Well…I remember Dad telling Mom he hadn't seen Carter since she left the SGC. A few phone calls, but that's it, and they were all work related or attending meetings by audio conversation. I say we concentrate on the last time they saw each other before this year."

She nodded, other hand curling into a nervous fist as she did so, "…Okay…"

"Last time they saw each other. Close your eyes," he ordered, as he did.

Rei closed her eyes and concentrated, first on her mother and then on what she wanted to know. She felt, and heard, the barrage of current thoughts as their minds linked, fading into silence as memories were accessed. She opened her eyes to find a very different scene before her.

"_We were weak. That's what happened. We were weak and stupid and this, this never happened," she was seated on the edge of a bed, pulling ankle high leather boots onto her feet, shaking her head, "This never happened," she repeated. Rei turned to look back to the head of the bed, to find Jason there, topless, well, perhaps more than topless, covered from the waist down by the bedcovers._

"_Okay, Sam, this never happened. You can think that and I'll sit here and think that it actually did happen, it might have been stupid, but this did happen and I'm not going to sit here and say I regret it," he stated._

"_You don't regret it?" her voice was soft with disbelief. She stared at the floor, "Say that again when you go home and look your wife in the eye."_

"_It could've been you. It should have been you."_

"_That doesn't matter. You love her. I love Pete. That's how things are," she grabbed her shirt from the floor, "We attend a formal meeting and this happens. Affair in Washington. Sounds like the title of a bad movie. It looks like we planned this all along."_

"_Nobody planned this. Its us, we never plan anything. It just happened. And you weren't complaining. You didn't jump away or say it was wrong or try to stop. Nothing's changed. We married different people but we still-"_

"_Don't say it!" she stood up and whirled round to face him._

"_Love each other," he finished._

_It took several deep breaths for her to compose herself, "…I loved you. Maybe I love you. But it doesn't matter. We saw to that. We have families, Jack, and I'm not about to give mine up," she looked away, "I loved you all those years and neither of us was brave enough to do anything about it. And then, and now, its too late," she buttoned her shirt up, "And don't tell me you don't love your wife. Because you do. You wouldn't punish her like that, wouldn't have married her if you didn't love her. You're a better man than that… we're just stupid together."_

"_Do you regret it?" he wrapped the sheet around his waist and stood up, "Honest answer, Sam. Do you regret it?"_

_She grabbed her jacket and shrugged it on, not making eye contact. When she finally looked back up at him, she shook her head, "…No," she whispered, "…But I'm going to feel guilty as hell for a long, long time…"_

_He closed the distance between them and kissed her before she had the time to react or twist away. When he released her, she didn't move, stayed close to him, eyes closed, "…Go home to your husband…"_

"…_And forget this ever happened…" she checked her watch, snatched her bag from the floor and was gone from the room in an instant._

_He sank down on the edge of the bed, "…And forget…this ever happened…"_

Rei jumped away, ripping her hands away as if scalded. She shook her head, "…It…It can't be…"

Jason swore loudly and threw the device across the room, hoping it would break. He had thought knowing he was right would bring some feeling of triumph, of validation for his behaviour. It just brought more rage, "Damnit!"

She backed away, still shaking her head, "…You, you don't understand…"

"I understand alright! They had an affair!"

Rei's eyes were wide with shock, "…I-Its not just that…"

"What?" he shouted.

She stared straight ahead, as if in a trance, "…The watch…my watch…Mom's watch…"

"The watch what?"

"…R-Read the date…nine…nine months before my little sister was born…" she uttered. Feeling sick to her stomach, numb, Rei's vision swam before she blacked out.

Jason lunged forward to catch her as an instinctive reaction, lowering her gently to the ground. Shaking, he gazed down at her, brushing stray strands of hair from her face. He didn't know if it was out of spite, the residual desire from what he had felt using the device, or his own attraction to her, but couldn't suppress the urge to kiss her again. So he did.


	16. Darker and Darker

**Notes:** Yes, its been months, I'm sorry! This is the most stressful fic I'm writing at the moment. And I apologise for any mistakes in this, it was started at 5am because I'm ill and I can't sleep. Thank you very much for your feedback on the last chapter, and for your honest answers. I know some of you think the affair isn't in character, all I can say to that is, I guess its bitterness toward how the whole SJ thing has been recently handled leaking through. They've cheapened it, and I guess so have I. Thanks for keeping with this, even if I do leave it weeks and weeks between updates.

* * *

When he opened his eyes to be greeted with the horribly familiar white glare of the innards of a sarcophagus, Jack really wished he had taken retirement when he'd had the chance. There was something to be said about being dead and staying that way. Being brought back again and again and again and… 

"Are you going to ask me how the device works?" Satra was perched on the edge of the box, smiling sweetly down at him.

"…Nope," he replied, "But I am going to tell you that I can see straight up your skirt from this angle."

She wasn't ashamed in the slightest, "It's a shame, you know…I was expecting somebody…younger…with your voice…and reputation"

"Sorry to disappoint."

Satra smiled again, reaching back before she dangled a circlet of silver above him. The same circlet that had been the device keeping him hidden, "At least the Ancients were intelligent enough to ensure that at least their technology could be retrieved after death."

He coughed and exhaled slowly, "Crafty buggers."

She sighed, almost bored, dangling it closer, "Aren't you going to even try and snatch it back?"

Jack shrugged, "Not really."

"I had heard that at least the other system lords had found your antics amusing at times. This is very much a disappointment indeed."

"What can I say? The myth is better than the man."

She stood up, "Which, for you, is most unfortunate," Satra looked back at him, "Stand, or am I going to have to get somebody to remove you?"

He made a big show of clambering to his feet and stepping out of the sarcophagus, "I was sure the latter option was gonna be more amusing for you."

Satra smiled slightly, "You catch on fast."

Jack made a non-committal noise, "Not what's been said before."

She abruptly changed the subject, "Where is my daughter?"

"You know where she is."

"I want to hear it from you."

"I don't do public speaking well under duress."

Satra wandered several paces away from him, and closer to the shielded window of the room, "Your kind are wrong to consider us the enemy."

"Hmmm," he feigned an expression of deep thought, "Taking us as hosts, putting snakes in our heads, taking away our choices and freedom, destroying worlds and lives…nah, I think we're right," Jack held up a hand, "Wait, no, don't tell me. You're about to launch into a sob-story about how you're one of the 'nice' snakes, that you really don't mean us any harm, we're just too stupid to notice."

She whirled to face him, dark eyes flashing angrily, "Just how do you think the pharaonic system worked? All those thousands of years ago, you were poking around in the dirt with sticks. Without us, you would be nothing."

"So the worshipping and dictatorship thing was for our own good? Wow. Missed that one. Boy, do I feel stupid."

"And your 'Ancients' were such kind benefactors? They didn't want to be worshipped as Gods?"

"Not so much with the worshipping thing…"

"You really must be incredibly stupid. How do you think the Ancient Greek system came about? We were there! We saw it. They swept into our country and took our people from us!" she snapped.

"Why don't we just get on with the torture and the gloating?" he shot back.

A slow smile spread across Satra's face, "I'm not going to 'torture' you."

"Shame."

"I am going to extract everything you know, all your memories, and turn you inside out of course."

Jack leant against the back wall, "What do they call that these days then? I must be behind the times."

She walked to the door and deactivated the shield, stepping through, "I call that 'fun'."

He watched her walk away, keeping a false defiant smirk in place. He knew they would find him. He knew he could keep up the banter. He just didn't know how many times he was going to live and die in a day. Or how long he could keep that up.

* * *

When Rei awoke, the first sensation she was aware of was of somebody's lips on hers. This in itself was a disturbing thought, when for a moment she couldn't remember where she was, thoroughly disorientated. She slowly opened her eyes, the figure above her swimming into focus, snapping her back to reality with alarming clarity. Jason. 

"You blacked out," he stated, unable to think of anything else to say. He had no idea whether he'd got away with it or not. Kissing her, that is. Saying anything else would only have incriminated him.

Rei struggled to sit up, suddenly uncomfortable in his arms, hating the fact that, whilst only semi-alert, she had felt surprisingly safe…and comforted, "Really? I thought I threw myself on the floor on purpose," she stood up, whilst he remained sitting on the floor. She waited several seconds for him to explain himself, then shook her head, grabbing a hair-tie from her pocket and dragging her dark hair back, "You ever touch me again, ever, and I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" Jason stood up, "You'll hit me? Go ahead."

"I wouldn't sink so low as to hit you," she muttered.

"Then what?"

Rage flooding her system, aggressively spiteful, she glared at him before rushing at him, shoving him against the back wall of the room, holding him there, "I'd make your life a misery for doing the same to me…" she whispered, voice low, deadly. She tilted her head, a slow, bitter, smile spreading across her face, "and I'd teach you how to do this properly," she captured his lips with her own, kissing him in much the same manner he had in the Infirmary, almost hungrily but far too purposefully spiteful to let anything other than passionate anger seep through. She turned on her heel and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Jason stared at the door, eyes wide, disturbed. What…the hell had that been? He figured he'd deserved a slap. More than that. But just what was she playing at? Residual emotions from the device? He hadn't thought her capable of such actions. Rather innocent, withdrawn and somewhat naive, he had though of her. But then, compared to what he and the other kids had seen in their lives, a great deal of the people they met were labelled the same. He suppressed the urge to run into the corridor after her, shout at her and try and provoke more of the same. What was worse was that he found himself finding the darker side of Rei Shanahan even more attractive.

But shit! Shit! Was it true? Had they made it up themselves, between them? They couldn't have. Why would they have wanted to make up such a scene anyway? He didn't know who he was more angry with; himself, his father, or Sam Carter. He could blame and hate her as much as he liked, but, when it came down to it, it took the two of them. Oh, that was a disturbing thought. A Carter as a half sister. Another sister at all! His father having an affair! And that sister being the little sister of Rei! Couldn't be. Just…couldn't be. It still meant no blood between them…but…but…

His father was missing in action.

His parents' marriage was going through a tough time.

Sam Carter had had an affair with his father.

He had a half sister somewhere.

And a girl named Rei Shanahan had wandered blindly into his world and turned it upside down.

Jason O'Neill sank back against the wall, thoroughly confused.

* * *

The thing was, Rei knew how to get attention when she had to. She might play the good and dutiful daughter, but even she had been a toddler causing a scene in a supermarket once. So, as it was, she decided to throw a fit at one of the SF's, calling him every name under the sun (on some level she was sure she was pretending he was Jason) so she got 'escorted' to her mother. She was somewhat surprised to find her mother occupying the office she had previously assumed was Jason's father's, but was in no mood for asking that question as well. She knew he was missing. That was enough. By the time she had reached said office, Rei was actually shaking. The rage had started to dissipate, leaving her cold and empty, and actually somewhat ashamed of herself. She didn't know what had come over her, and so stood there, head bowed, as the SF detailed her behaviour and she had to watch the reaction of her shocked mother. When the door closed behind the SF, she knew she was in trouble. 

"Rei?" Sam began. She didn't stand up, just sat there, staring at her daughter, bemused.

The accusative tone of her voice struck a nerve, and Rei felt the fire ignite again, "…Why did you do it…?" she asked, staring at the floor, voice soft.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? What's happened to you, Rei? Why did you berate that poor man?"

"My behaviour is nothing compared to yours, Mom."

"Rei! What's going on?" Sam stood up, hesitating only when her child took a step back.

Rei snapped her head up, "My behaviour? I always thought that you were somebody I could look up to. I always wanted to make you happy, whatever it took. I'm not intelligent and I'm not that smart, but I tried. Even when we fight, I never mean any of it. I thought I could rely on you," there were tears in her eyes, "I love you, Mama, and I…" she couldn't continue, setting her jaw and staring back at the floor, torn between anger and the desire to be comforted.

"…What's happened, Rei? I can take you away from here, I should have done earlier, I'm sorry, I didn't want to get you caught up in all this. Its why I never told you about it," she started towards her again, voice gentle, concerned.

"You lied to me! You lied to all of us! You're still lying! You lied to Dad!"

"Your Dad knows about all this…"

"I don't mean about this place!" she hissed. She glared back at her mother, "I mean about Annika!"

For a split second, Sam recoiled, stunned, unease on her features for only a moment. She folded her arms, "…What about Annika?" she questioned.

"I know who her father is."

"So do I. He generally goes by the name of Mr Shanahan," she mentally kicked herself for inappropriate use of sarcasm at the worst moment.

Rei smiled sadly and shook her head, looking through the glass of the office to the briefing room beyond, unable to look her mother in the eye, "…No…he doesn't…he goes by the name of General O'Neill…" she said, voice barely a whisper.

Sam's eyes narrowed, "Rei Shanahan, you explain yourself this instant."

"I know, Mom. I know that you slept with General O'Neill and I know it was nine months before Annika was born."

"How did you learn such a thing?" she admitted no guilt.

Rei looked back at her, "…Some…Antique…Ancient, that's it, device. His son brought it to me and demanded we use it. And I was that stupid that I did. The things you learn! I relived the day, Mom, don't lie to me, I know what happened. I've seen enough today that I might just believe that all this is true!" she ended on a near hysterical wail.

Sam turned away, leaning heavily on the desk. She could lie. She could keep lying. Her daughter wouldn't know if she was telling the truth or not. Make more things up. Where the hell had Jason got that device from? She made a mental note to demand that of him, and security. She should have known it would all come back to haunt her. She had loved him. She had loved Jack O'Neill for years and that one moment of weakness…years of being strong had destroyed them both. They should have been honest. …Damnit, they should have been honest, even before they left it in the room. Twice. Sam opted to at least be truthful now, with the only statement she knew was honest for sure, "…Jack O'Neill is not Annika's father," she said softly.

"What?" Rei snapped.

"General O'Neill is not Annika's father," she repeated, "She's your sister, full blooded sister, your father is her father."

"That makes no sense. How can you be so sure?" she accused.

Sam wished her daughter was older…and that she wasn't having such a conversation with her at all, "…I wasn't. I had a paternity test done when I was pregnant…" she still wouldn't look at her.

"Does Dad know?"

The Colonel shook her head, "No."

"How come?" Rei knew she had no right to be demanding answers, but wanted all she could get whilst she had the chance. Even if it did sicken her.

"…I had it done here…"

"You what?"

"…I had it done here. In the Infirmary, here. I travelled back here. Doctor Frasier did it."

Had everybody in her life suddenly decided to lie to her? She barely knew Janet Frasier, but had thought she could trust her! Everything she had said had been a lie! She made it up! Betrayal! Her mind screamed a thousand thoughts at her at once.

"Your father is Annika's Dad, Rei," Sam began again, voice still strangely soft, eyes glazed over, "…I'm not proud of what I did. Far from it. It just…happened."

"Everybody says that. 'It just happened'. How about it just 'not happening' for once?"

She paced back round the desk, as if it could form some sort of mental barrier between them, "I can't change the past."

"Nobody can," Rei muttered, "Looks like I can't even trust my own Mom now," she looked up at her, "It makes me wonder what else I don't know… I thought you loved Dad. _I thought you loved Dad_!" she shouted.

"I do!" Sam shouted back, suddenly angry, "I do love your father!"

"Then why have an affair? Explain that!"

She shook her head, jaw set, "No, Rei, I wont explain that. You think you're so grown up, you think you've been in love and had boyfriends and felt every emotion there is to be felt out there. When you really grow up, you'll understand. You think you've had your heart broken? You haven't even come close. You don't know what its like to love someone that much, so much that it kills you inside and you can't do _one damn thing about it!_" she continued, "I'm only human! Maybe it's a shock for you, but I'm a human being, I'm a woman, not just your Mom!" Sam's eyes fell shut and she brought a fist to her mouth in an attempt to stop herself breaking down.

Rei took a couple of steps back, gazing across at her mother, stunned. She considered running and throwing herself into her arms, but still unable to resolve the conflict in her mind, the betrayal and the revelations, she continued backward, "…I-I'm sorry…" she uttered, before she yanked the door open and ran.


	17. To Adjust

Rei ran practically all the way back to the VIP suite she had been allocated, trying to hold back the sobs that had overtaken her after leaving the office. She knew there were a couple of SF's on her tail, far behind her, merely following, not chasing, her. She supposed that was part of their duty. And she was just a 'kid' running riot in their base. Rei slammed the door shut behind her and only just restrained herself from kicking it. She was acting like a child. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home and pretend none of this had happened. That she hadn't been told that they weren't alone in the galaxy, that she hadn't found out her mother had been living a lie to them, on so many levels, and certainly that she hadn't met Jason O'Neill. Rei glanced around the room, jumpy, unsure what to do with herself, almost shaking. She clenched her jaw tight and refused to let any sound escape her, even as silent tears ran down her face. It was then that she caught sight of the Ancient device lying on the floor. She considering going to stamp on it, instead opting to turn her back and sink down on the edge of the bed. At least Jason had left her room. She couldn't concentrate. On anything. She wasn't sure what the worst aspect was.

She hated how she was reacting. She had always been the 'good' daughter. The quiet one, the one who did as she was told, tried her best and never really stood out in a crowd. Annika was the brilliant one, and had even spent several years as a holy terror in her infancy. The boys were…boys. Sport, tearing each other apart, desperate to grow up, Paul with a secret love of math he tried to hide, if only because he knew Rob would scorn him for it. Identical twins, but so different it was hard to believe they were genetically identical down to the last detail. But Rei had always been the dutiful older sister who looked out for the others. She did as she was told and got on with life. Rarely answered back and rarely spoke in tones of anger. Maybe today was payback. Maybe today she was showing the girl she really was, that she was capable of crippling anger and hostility and had just never dared show it. She didn't understand. Rei jumped as she heard a knock on the door. Wiping her tears away, she inquired as to who was outside.

"Its me, Belle."

She sniffed quietly, "Come in."

Belle opened the door hesitantly, "…I've been looking after Harriet. Dad's got her now. I, er, just came to see if Jason tried to get you to-"

"Alien device? Yeah, he did," she snapped.

She closed the door behind her, dark eyes narrowed in concern, "…And?"

Rei sniffed again, "And its true. Whatever it is he thought. My Mom, his dad. Some of it anyway," she tried to be angry again, "Your mom knew."

Belle blinked and sat down on the bed a little way away from her, "…My mom knew something went on between them? She never said…"

"Why would she? It's a dirty little secret, not something to be thrown around…" she muttered bitterly.

"You can't trust alien technology, Rei. I might not know a lot, but I know that. Especially Ancient devices," Belle tried. She sighed, "…What does it really matter if they loved each other? And if they really did have an affair, what does it matter? It doesn't affect you…"

"Doesn't affect me? My family is a lie! His family is a lie! We're second best, we're runners up!" Rei cried, "We're what they settled for."

"You don't settle for something you don't love."

"You must read romance novels."

"No, actually."

Belle sighed and didn't speak for a long moment, trying to make sure her next words came out right, "…Look, Rei…I know you've seen a lot recently. It's a lot to take in and I wouldn't want to be in your position. But you aren't hurt by what your mom and Jay's dad did. It really doesn't affect you. You have your families. Its for them to sort out, your Mom and General O'Neill, not you. You weren't betrayed yourself. They didn't do it to hurt you, or anyone. We're just kids compared to them, we don't know anything. All I know is that I've seen you and Jay bring out the worst in each other."

"Your mom lied to me," she mumbled.

"I'm sure she's lied to a lot of people in her time, who hasn't? About breaking a vase or about breaking someone's heart, anything can be a lie," Belle reached to touch her companion's shoulder, "Go home, Rei. I've lived with this most of my life. You haven't. Go home and think. Come to school tomorrow like I said and I promise to bring you back here with me."

Rei turned tearful eyes to her, "What about my mom?"

"Your mom won't be leaving tonight."

"Why not?"

"Because she's in charge now. And we have a man missing. They never leave people behind. Go home. The SF's will tell your mom if you don't want to see her."

Rei didn't fight when Belle shuffled along the bed and wrapped her arms around her, "…I'm sorry," she choked out.

"…I know. Go home…I think you need to get as far away from here as possible."

She supposed that was the best advice she'd heard in a good while.

**

* * *

**

"Good evening," Sa'rac greeted Jason, as the young man stormed past him. He approached him, only to be shoved against the wall with one hand, ignored.

"Don't speak to me," Jason stated, walking right past him.

"Do you take the same tone with every member of your species? Rei Shanahan must be indeed correct her opinion of you."

He halted, furious. He turned back to face Sa'rac, "Firstly, maybe I do. Secondly, I don't give a damn what she thinks of me. Or what you think. I don't need your opinion. My father's out there somewhere, possibly dead, and my Mom needs me. I don't need your sarcasm. I'm going home," Jason resumed his quick pace down the corridor.

Sa'rac simply stared after him, wanting to comment, but knew he should hold his tongue.

* * *

Several hours later, Rei was found leaning back against the radiator in her little sister's room. Knees drawn to her chest, eyes slightly glazed over, she absently listened to Annika's stream of babble. Her blonde haired sibling sat on the edge of her bed, newest Playstation controller in her hands, rapidly hitting buttons and cursing under her breath at random intervals. 

"-and I'm sure they were trying to set me up with him, which is just so weird. Its like its just not right. I know we've changed schools and everything, but how can I have changed status like that? I was fine with being a geek," Annika frowned, "In fact, I'd quite like my geek-dom back…" she trailed off, "…Maybe because it's a private place and we're all supposed to be geeks. I don't know…"

"You're an attractive girl, I don't see why you find it so implausible that guys want to go out with you," she answered.

"I don't think I'm pretty," the younger girl stated, "In fact, I know I'm not pretty. Maybe its some giant scam…"

"Anni, come on," Rei insisted, "If you won't think you're pretty, then I have to think it for both of us, and I think you're stunning. I win. So there," she tried to affect the childishness from their younger years with an attempted smile.

Annika abandoned the controller and turned to face her sister, sitting cross legged on her bed, "…Rei…"

"I hear the 'I want something' tone…"

"No, honestly, I don't want anything…" she shook her head, "…You've just…been different since you got home. Upset. You wont look Dad in the eye. The twins have noticed too, there were asking me what was wrong with you."

Rei smiled sadly, "I'm just worn out from school."

"You got back later than school ends," Annika shot back, concerned.

"I was with friends."

"Boyfriend?"

She shook her head, hating that her kiss with Jason came flooding back at that moment, "No." Her father knew where she had been. He hadn't broached the subject yet. He knew that Sam was working late and not likely to come home that day, or the next, but he didn't know that it was specifically to try and save Jack O'Neill's life. And even if she was feeling lost and rather spiteful, she wasn't going to tell him.

"Did you and Dad have a fight after I left this morning?" her little sister questioned.

Rei stood up and moved to sit beside Annika on her bed, "No, we're fine. No argument," she slipped an arm around her, trying to be the supportive older sister, "Nothing's the matter, I'm just still getting used to everything new around here, okay? I don't want you worrying about it. I'll adjust," she nodded then, more to herself than Annika, "…I'll adjust…" she repeated, voice soft.

Wide blue eyes looked up at her, "…You don't like it here, do you?" Annika whispered.

She tried to lie. She tried to disagree and smile. But she couldn't. Rei bit down on her bottom lip, hesitating, "…Not right now…" she admitted, "…But it'll be okay…you all like it here. Look how pleased Dad was with the report your headmistress sent home! You'll do well here. I just need a little more time…" she trailed off.

For all the fights they had had when they were younger, Annika still adored her older sister. She turned to hold her tightly, trying to reassure her, unsure what to say.

"I'll adjust…" Rei said softly, once again.

* * *

She felt uncomfortable taking the seat at the head of the table, and it showed. Sam shifted uncomfortably as she gazed back at Daniel, Teal'c, Janet and Rya'c. At some point in their lives, they had all looked to her for some form of answer to an impossible situation, but now it felt like they were all depending on her. Well, less on her, more on what she was able to do in temporary command of the SGC. She had had a rather unpleasant conversation with Kerry the hour before, after she had finally managed to compose herself after Rei's outburst. She probably thought she had left Jack behind on purpose or something equally stupid. Sam had assured her that they would do everything they could to get him back alive, but even then it had felt like it wasn't enough. She had briefly thought that she would come storming back to the SGC and insist on aiding the search, but having never been on an SG team and only being assigned to the SGC for three months out of each year, she had little authority and certainly not the power to overrule her. 

It was the series of phone calls she had been making over the past few hours that had disturbed her more. Even then, she couldn't concentrate. Rei was lurking in the back of her mind, even if she knew she was at home. She was aware that those she needed were still available, even late into the night, so there she sat, trying to appear ever capable. She had chosen which path to go down now, even if she knew she was going to pay for it.

"You have permission for a rescue mission," Sam began.

Daniel frowned, "'You'? Why not 'we'?"

"I'm not permitted to go off-world."

"Why not?" Janet demanded.

"Because, the way my superiors see it, including the President – they've already lost the commander of this base and don't want to lose the temp as well. They don't want to bring in somebody who isn't acquainted with the base. Sounds stupid I know, and yes, I did argue, but they wouldn't budge," she sighed.

"So we go without you?" Daniel questioned.

"Our chances of success will be greatly diminished…" Teal'c stated.

Sam shook her head, "Don't say that."

"I speak only the truth."

"I agree with my father," Rya'c added, "If I am permitted to aid in O'Neill's rescue, I would request that you also be included in the mission."

"We don't know what state he's going to be in, Sam…" Janet said softly.

"Which is why I want you going too," she answered.

The doctor nodded grimly.

"I'm also not permitted to risk anymore lives…" she hesitated, "…This doesn't mean that if people…volunteer…I can refuse them…"

"You know we're onboard," Daniel nodded.

"The rest of the team were the only personnel I was told I could 'order' on the mission," Sam sounded rather disgusted, "But," she held up a hand, "We didn't work with the General all those years and not learn how to bend the rules a little."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, "What do you intend, Colonel Carter?"

"I called in a few of the General's favours," she smiled slightly, "He would have an obvious folder marked 'favours'. Anyway. A few generals are on our side, close friends of his. I have it on good authority that what goes on here will not be passed on. Which means I'll be joining you on the mission. It also means they're assigning an old friend of mine to command the SGC whilst we're gone. Colonel Cameron Mitchell."

"I met that guy a few times, good man…" Daniel mumbled, "Little crazy at times."

"What are we to do with Merysatra?" Teal'c asked.

"She seems rather uncooperative…" Janet grimaced.

"We need to know everything she does. I want someone with her at all times, even if its just making idle conversation. She's just a kid, here's hoping that combined with the Goa'uld pride will make her let slip something just to prove herself…" Sam stood up, "I'm headed to her cell now. Daniel, I'd appreciate the help, unless you need a break. Mission is scheduled for eleven hundred hours tomorrow morning," she pushed several folders out across the table, "even if its just initially recon on the planet we lost the General on."

"I'm with you," Daniel confirmed.

"Get some rest…" she implored, "…We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow. Its not going to be easy."

* * *

They found Mery in the corner of her cell, curled up, arms over her head. Tempted to see if she was okay, they took a couple of steps toward her before they decided to take their seats at the table in the centre of the cell, not wanting to make her believe she could manipulate them. She looked tiny. Almost scared. Still in her full Goa'uld dress, golds and ambers, auburn hair a mess and spilling onto the floor beside her. 

"Mery," Sam called, keeping her voice cold.

The girl looked up, hesitant, "What do you want?" she demanded.

"We want to know where your mother is. Where her home is. Where you live," Daniel replied.

Mery shook her head, "I wont betray her. You want to kill my mother. I wont tell you."

"We just want our friend back," he tried.

"You want him back and you want her dead. You want me dead," she clambered slowly to her feet.

"If we want you dead, why haven't we harmed you already?" Sam tilted her head.

"Because you want to know what I know, then when you're done, I wont matter anymore. I'm just a means to an end."

Daniel frowned, "…Low self esteem…" he mumbled to Sam.

Mery regarded him with a glare, "I can hear everything you say."

"I don't doubt that. We just want to know how to get our friend back. You know where he is. Don't you want to go home?"

"I'm a princess, I don't need anything," she spat.

Sam sighed, "Mery, you're not going anywhere until you give us the information we want. You could be in this cell for years. This cell, another cell, all alone. There's no hope of letting you go if you don't help us."

Mery rushed at the table, slamming her fists down, "You will never let me be free. You believe all harsesis are inherently evil. I am a threat to you!" she shouted, "Do you have any idea what its like to have all this information, all these memories, running around in my head? Do you have any idea? I have memories of slaughtering people I've never even laid eyes on! You think I'm some grand, all powerful being; I'm just some giant knowledge repository! Safe keeping! That's all she wants me for! That's all I am. I'm a failsafe. That's the only reason she keeps me around!" she screamed.

Sam pretended to remain unfazed, "…Your mother?"

"The great and wonderful Satra! All bow before her! One day her body will give out and I'll be her!"

"You don't love your mother?" Daniel goaded.

"She will kill you," Mery hissed, "She'll come for me and kill you all."

"But you don't care for her?"

"I wont betray her," her voice shook.

"Why worry about betraying a woman you fear?" he asked.

Mery blinked, taking several steps back, "…I…I don't fear her."

"But you want to be you. Not her."

"I want her away from me!" she shouted.

"Tell us how to save our friend and I promise you won't ever have to return to her," Sam offered, voice gentle.

"You took me from her to kill her, to bait her, so she wouldn't harm you because you have me. You don't have a choice! No more choice than I do! She will kill you!"

"We're nothing if we don't try," Daniel stated.

Sam stood up, "…Mery…? Tell us what we need to know and I swear to you we wont return you to Satra."

"But you will kill her…" Mery almost sobbed.

She remained silent, finding no suitable response.

The young woman was clearly fighting with herself. Part of her wanted freedom. The Goa'uld in her wanted to see her captors dead, even by her own hand. That was the part that wanted to go 'home' to Satra and play the perfect princess by her side. She twitched. She knew they would most likely keep her in a cell for the rest of her life, even if she told them. But was that better than eventually taking lives herself? Was life imprisonment better than one day becoming Satra and ceasing to be herself? The mental torture of her own mind every day was bad enough. Even if she wanted to speak the truth, would she be able to stop lies from spilling from her lips?

Mery inclined her head, "…I will tell you…everything…"


	18. All We've Got

**Notes:** Out of curiosity, is anyone still reading this?

* * *

Rei woke the next morning with a feeling of unease that swamped her the moment she became fully alert. The feeling had been nagging at her all night, meaning she had got little sleep and was in no way in a good mood when she was woken. Tempted to snap at the twins, who pulled her duvet away from her and threw it to the floor, Rei sat up, frowning, "What's wrong?" 

"Mom's not here," Rob stated, as if it were her fault.

"Dad told you, she was working late._ I_ told you she was working late," she replied.

"Working late, not 'not coming home'," Paul corrected her.

Rei shivered. Not coming home. If only they knew. She doubted the boys would react well to the fact that their mother was putting herself in grave danger nearly every day. Or to the news that she had lied to them all their lives. …Or that if she left the planet… god, left the planet, what right did those kind of words have to reside in her mind now? That if she left the planet she might not come back. She supposed it was the same for anyone who had a family member in the armed forces. It was just that they had lived their lives thinking their mother was safe filling out forms and giving orders from behind a desk.

"What did you do?" Paul demanded.

Her eyes widened, "Me?"

"You haven't been right since you got home yesterday. And now Mom's gone. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," she answered through clenched teeth, "And Mom isn't gone."

"She's not here," Rob raised his voice.

Rei clambered from her bed quickly, "Go and get ready for school," she snapped.

"But-"

"Go and get ready for school!" she shouted.

The twins shot her an identical startled look, backed away, and ran from her bedroom.

She sank back down on the edge of her bed with a deep sigh. She hung her head and ran and hand through her hair, dragging it down over her face. She brushed the tangled strands from her eyes again and looked up to see Annika in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe, frown on her face.

"Anni…" Rei began.

"Mom isn't here. Dad says she's at work. You're angry and upset," her little sister began in a calm voice, "…You know something we don't. Maybe something even Dad doesn't know," she said softly.

"I don't know anything," she muttered, looking away.

"Maybe you don't," Annika agreed, "But Mom isn't here and Dad's acting weird," she folded her arms, "That makes you mom. Start acting like one." A flash of light blonde hair and several shuffled footsteps and she was gone from the doorway.

Rei slowly stood up, shaking her head, "…I'll adjust…" she murmured, "I'll adjust…"

* * *

"We have a game plan," Sam dropped several files to the briefing room table, "and yes, I'll be honest, it's the only game plan we've got." 

"Sam, have you had any sleep?" Janet questioned, peering up at her.

"Three hours," she snapped an instant response, "Then Cam got here and it was time to bring him up to speed on everything. We've had people sitting with Mery all night, typing every word she says," she sat at the head of the table, "Some of the information is useable, some of it isn't. What's in the files is what we have to believe we can count on." Sam paused, "…Its as if the girl has multiple personalities…which…technically, could be true. Sometimes she behaved rationally, sometimes she didn't. Sometimes she just screamed at people."

"She has the memories of goa'uld going back generations. Their personalities are in those memories somewhere, flashes of anger, fury…everything, all there. She has to fight with those constantly to cling to whatever…lovely…personality she was born with," Janet said, "Whether Harsesis are truly evil or not, the suffering of the individual alone is enough reason for their creation to be…against the rules…"

"You're saying Mery is the victim here?" Daniel stared.

"I'm saying Mery is a victim. She's a victim just because she exists. Imagine being tormented with memories of the atrocities of the goa'uld from the moment of birth? Whether we think she's evil or not, she is a victim and she is just an unfortunate teenage girl." Janet glanced down at the files in front of her, "And perhaps we should take into account what some teenage girls are like when we use this information instead of what we think a Harsesis would be like."

"You mean we should keep in mind she could be being spiteful, hormonal and manipulative?"

"Doing the best damned job she can do to bring the world down around her, or doing the best she can to find a place and prove herself to be worth something. To Satra or to us, we'll never know."

"Her words are basically all we have to go on," Sam stated, "The 'gate address she gave us dials and connects. It can support human life," she grimaced, "and the MALP got shot at thirty seconds after we sent it…"

"Jaffa?" Teal'c questioned.

She nodded, "Jaffa."

"In regard to Mery, I just think we should be careful. She's just a kid and if she's right about all this…maybe she deserves rewarding. Perhaps she deserves to have a life of her own, to be respected as an individual," Janet shrugged, "Maybe I'm delusional, but I do feel sorry for her. I saw some of the tapes. There's a little girl in there somewhere."

Sam paused, "…If she's right and she's been honest and helpful, I'll look into arranging something for her…"

"Her genes, her memories, they may mean she can't ever tell the truth, even if she wants to," Daniel replied.

"As I said, its all we've got. We never leave people behind. We might have been apart all these years, but it doesn't mean we decide to abandon the ideals we held together."

"He always said you were a good soldier, I never knew you had a talent for moving speeches," Kerry was at the head of the spiral staircase at the far end of the room, "Good morning, Colonel Carter."

"Good morning, Doctor," Sam kept her tone neutral.

"I take it you intend to save my husband," she frowned and gazed into the main office, "Though there's already another man in his chair…"

"General Mitchell."

"Last time I saw Mitchell he was a Colonel," Kerry replied, "and that was barely a month ago."

"Cameron Mitchell is an admirable warrior," Teal'c interrupted, before Sam could form an answer, "I have no doubt he deserves the rank he holds and believe he would not brag about his promotion," he conveniently forgot to mention that everything he had heard about Mitchell he had heard from Sam. And that wasn't a great deal. He had been a member of missions working with Mitchell, but he couldn't claim to know the man. But he had to sell the guy to Kerry. …And hide the fact that he knew Mitchell's promotion had occurred all of a few hours ago…

Kerry sighed, "I didn't come here to point fingers or demand answers. I just…I came here to wish you good luck. Bring Jack home," she turned away, as if to head back down the stairs, "…Please," she finished softly. Heels met metal stair as she walked away.

"Doctor O'Neill?" Sam called out after her. She hated that the words tasted bitter in her mouth…and that she had once wondered if that name would ever be hers, "…I'll-" she hesitated and corrected herself, "We'll do everything in our power to bring him home."

"…Then that's all I ask of you…" Kerry nodded and continued on her way.

"…Okay…" Sam opened her file, "Onto the game plan."

* * *

Rei was late. She missed her first class of the day and then had the joy of being reprimanded in front of her second class. Just her luck that it was a class she shared with Jason and Belle. The former looked instantly away, whilst the latter offered a small smile as she found her seat. 

She barely listened to the teacher as the lesson went by. She couldn't even bring herself to pretend she was paying attention. It all just seemed so wrong and stupid. Insignificant. Hours before she had been in a secret underground military base being told the truth of the wonders of the universe, and now she was sitting listening to some boring lecture on American history. What did it matter? Her mother could be dead within the next few hours. Rei knew they were going to get Jason's father back. She knew her mother had loved him, and if that love meant anything at all, she would break every rule to save him. Maybe she had only witnessed that kind of love in films and on the TV, but if it was real and not a cliché…her mother was in trouble. She kicked herself for wondering if her Mom would ever do the same for her Dad. Or if she had done.

Rei had no idea how Jason was keeping so calm. His father was missing. Not just missing in a big city or even on Earth. On an alien planet. Who was to say he was even still alive? Nothing registered in her mind beyond worry and a sick feeling in her stomach. Maybe that was how he felt. She had no way of knowing. Perhaps he was just better at hiding it that she was. After all, he had had more practise. She Rei belatedly realised that Belle's parents were just as involved with the program as her mother. Well then, that made Belle the master. She had smiled. Rei felt as if she couldn't force a smile for anything in the world. Belle evidently took drama for a reason.

The bell rang to tell them to move classes, and as the rest of her class rushed out, she realised she was one of the few still left sitting. As she stood up, Jason brushed by her, making her quickly reclaim her seat.

Jason stopped and looked back at her, "Now you know how it feels," he said.

Damn him, did he have some form of mind reading ability?

"Jay…leave her alone."

Rei twitched as she felt Belle's hand on her shoulder.

A look of hurt betrayal passed across his features, before Jason smiled, shaking his head, "…Should've known…that's what Carter's do best, right? Cause arguments, split people up," he headed off, "Later, Belle."

Anger flared, and Rei stood as if to run after him.

"No," Belle increased the pressure on her shoulder, "Leave him."

"Why?"

She looked away, "…Because if things don't go right today…we're all going to need each other. Even him. And in the end…we'll be all we've got…"

* * *

Sam was surprised that she was unafraid. More trips through the 'gate never eliminated fear, which only made her wonder. Was the saying true? Did the near certainty of death mean no fear and a gentle calm within? She hoped not. She had no intention of dying. Yet…the possibility was there. She had almost forgotten that it had always been there all those years ago. Running on hope alone must have worked marvels. 

She hated what was driving her. Guilt. For more things than she could list. Love…yes. Just because she couldn't claim to love Jack in the way she once had, didn't mean she felt nothing for him. What scared her the most was the fact that she did still love him. In whatever way it was. More than a friend, less than a lover. Maybe. Possibly. Perhaps even…more…than her husband. Damnit, she loved her husband. She wouldn't have married him, wouldn't have had his children if she didn't. But she had been through more with Jack than she ever had with him. Maybe that meant a different kind of love. And maybe it meant she could never love Pete in the way she loved…or had loved…Jack. The thought that perhaps she had been wrong from the start, that she had put them through everything…for nothing…no, not for nothing. Sam loved her children. She could never even contemplate choosing a path that didn't bring her them. But the guilt…what she had put him through…what she had known, what she could have had…and thrown away…haunted her. She could lie all she wanted. Some part of her was curious. And a great part of her guilty.

She would save his life. If only because it was the least she could do.

Sam watched as the explosives were thrown through the 'gate. She waited for the timers to go off. She waited for the nod from Mitchell.

And she waited for her heart to be finally broken.


	19. Die Another Death

Thankfully, the explosives and the flash bangs took out or disorientated enough of the loyal followers of Satra from around the 'Gate for the rest to be taken out rather swiftly. In the ensuing confusion, however, they had no way of knowing whether communication had occurred between those posted and the 'Gate and main complex Mery had described.

Sam wasn't slow to notice the distaste and almost regret on Teal'c features as those soldiers who had been Jaffa were dispatched. From what she knew, fighting Jaffa had become a thing of the past. Few remained truly loyal to any overlord who tried to control them, be it rogue goa'uld or otherwise. Fighting amongst free Jaffa was uncommon, but not unheard of. Usually such matters were dealt with quickly and with as little bloodshed as possible. This time, however, Teal'c had known he could never try and make reasonable contact with the Jaffa loyal to Satra. He'd tried before. Death was the only option.

Rya'c did not seem as moved as his father. It seemed he thought of it as a task to be completed and a battle to be won. He could not look back on the days of goa'uld enslavement and free Jaffa movement with the same eyes as Teal'c. To him, enslavement to a goa'uld of freewill, in this day and age, and in such a time of freedom for the Jaffa, was ludicrous. Perhaps almost deserving of death. He had insisted on accompanying his father and friends, leaving his own son behind, no matter how much the boy protested he was ready for battle. He owed Jack O'Neill his life many times over. Perhaps now he could repay him.

The team headed in the direction of the complex, or so they hoped, mostly in silence. Communication was brief and, for the most part, only relating to the mission. It seemed there was no great army waiting for them as they approached the slope of the third hill they had to cross. Evidently Satra was a fan of mountainous landscapes.

It seemed Sam had set a pace that was ridiculously quick, even for a rescue mission. She was quite a way ahead of her friends when she heard Daniel's voice ring out in the silence.

"I hope Jack knows how loyal you still are," he said, "I don't think we've ever rushed into a mission this fast."

She halted, frowning, "What?"

"Its just an observation, Sam, not a criticism."

"I'd like to think you'd expect me to do the same for any of you. Now or back then. God, Daniel, we were family – you really think I'd leave any one of you if I ever knew you were in trouble?" she almost forgot that Rya'c was present in her sudden rush. The boy, no, the man, must think she had become some kind of mad woman. But it was just as likely that he knew everything the rest of her friends did, or had at least figured out what they meant from the time he had spent in their company in the early days of the SGC.

"I said it wasn't a criticism. It was a comment. Considering your history-" he began.

"What do you want me to say? What do you expect to hear?" her voice rose in anger, "That I hate my husband and I wish I'd never married him? That it was the biggest mistake of my life? Well, it wasn't. I love him and I love my children. You can't always get what you want, we all know that. The past could never be resolved and I _will not_ be blamed for doing what I felt was right. I wanted a life," Sam levelled her gaze at each of her companions in turn, "and I got a life. A life I love. Maybe its not what you'd have done, but it wasn't your choice to make."

"Sam!" Janet exclaimed, "We aren't saying anything of the sort!"

"But you're thinking it. You've been thinking it ever since I came back. You want to hear it? I loved Jack O'Neill and yes, I know he loved me. Yes, I feel guilty. But I'm not trying to save his life just out of some sense of misplaced guilt. He was part of my family and he would do the same for me, even now. You can't break bonds like that," Sam headed off again, taking point.

"Our only concern is that your desperation may make you reckless," Teal'c stated, as the three paced along behind her, exchanging concerned glances between them.

"Desperation? I'm desperate to get my life back to normal, to protect my kids from this. I'm not desperate to get the General back. We _will_ get the General back, there's no desperation about it."

"…We're none of us as young as we used to be, Sam. There's no telling if Jack…" Daniel trailed off, not quite ready to be able to finish his sentence.

"Then we tried," Sam replied, "Just like he would have done."

"O'Neill would do exactly as we are doing if any one of us was in such a predicament," Rya'c nodded.

"In our favour it seems Satra does not see fit to post an inordinate amount of guards around her complex," Teal's attempted to change the subject, "If Merysatra is telling the truth."

"If she's isn't then…" Janet grimaced, "I tend to work on the belief that she wants to free herself with all she's said. If Satra's gone…she has no reason to fear."

"Except fear of herself," Daniel countered.

"And fear of retribution if Satra is not defeated," Teal'c added.

"We'll keep her safe," Sam slowed to a halt again, "Like Janet said, she's just a little girl really. It could be Rei in her shoes. It could be Isabelle. It could be any kid in high school." She scrambled for her binoculars, "…There were enough soldiers on the 'Gate…I suppose we have to hope that Satra believes any threat would have to be stopped at the 'Gate itself. She wouldn't expect anyone to get through without being shot down…" she twitched her shoulders in a slight shrug, "Though we have to credit her with some intelligence."

"Some," Daniel nodded, "Though we have to remember she really does believe she's a goddess, and a daughter of the head of their former pantheon at that. We're talking massive ego trips here."

"So she'd like to believe nothing would get through. And that if it did, she alone has the power to stop it…" Janet mused aloud.

"But we did kidnap her daughter…" Sam frowned, "and said daughter hasn't returned."

"Not a problem if your daughter is a goddess too, right?" Daniel shot her a quick smile.

"I guess not…"

"And she won't expect it to be just the five of us who made it so far… Ego demands that it be at least an army, if not more…"

"Let's hope that Mery was telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth then…" the Colonel started moving again, "We'll stop just before the peak of the next hill. Close enough to get a good look…"

"…Sam…" Janet said softly, "…Sam, what if the General…"

"If that's true…then…then we don't leave without proof…"

"If we can leave at all," Daniel sighed.

"You've become rather cynical in these past few years, Daniel," Sam commented.

"Running on hope for so long does that to you," he replied. He tried another smile, "Or I'm having a not-quite-senior moment."

"We will triumph or die trying," this time it was Rya'c who struck out ahead of the others.

A hint of a proud smile could be seen on Teal'c's face before he followed his son.

"Good old Jaffa optimism," Daniel shot a smirk in his wife's direction and headed after them.

"Sam," Janet reached to grab her friend's arm, holding her back. She kept her voice low, "Sam, listen to me. Please," she looked up at her, pleading, "Time hasn't been kind to any of us. But we don't blame you for anything, you understand? Things have been difficult, yes… But please don't go charging on in now thinking you have to prove yourself or try and fix everything. I don't want to lose you when we only just got you back."

"…He blames me, Janet. And so do I. I can't fix things, I know that. And because I can't hate the life I have now…it just makes it worse. Of course I love him. I always did. It was just…it can never be real…" she said softly. She mimicked the doctor's gesture and placed a reassuring hand on Janet's arm, "I owe him. Maybe he owes me too. But he's in trouble and that can't matter for now," Sam tugged the petite woman into a walk as they continued on her way.

If she could just convince herself that she was going to be thoroughly sensible about everything and truly not do anything reckless in an attempt to alleviate the guilt she tried to keep at bay, then she might have felt a great deal better about the whole situation.

-

Mery paced back and forth in her cell, eyes glazed over, unseeing. Back and forth, back and forth. Bare feet that had once been inside ridiculously ornate and heeled shoes shuffled along the grey floor.

"Forgive me, mother," the harsesis girl murmured, "Forgive me…"

"She will come to kill you all!" she suddenly shrieked, twisting from her slouched position.

"Forgive me…"

"She won't let you do this!"

"…I don't want to die…"

"You will never defeat the bloodline of Ra!" she shouted, voice hoarse.

"…Forgive me…forgive me…I want to live…"

"You betrayed your own mother!"

"Forgive me…" Mery whispered.

She continued in the same manner, speaking to herself, her enemies, and illusionary figures for hours to come.

-

"I feel sick," Rei announced, staring down at her lunch.

"Don't eat. It'll only make you feel worse," Belle replied. She sighed, "Try not to think about it."

"How can I not think about it? Is this what I feels like having a parent in the army shipped off somewhere to fight?"

"I always think that has to be worse."

She stared, "How come?"

"Well, the regular army doesn't have access to any of the technology our parents do. Let alone half the medical advances made with the technology. Our parents may be off fighting…you know…but I'd say they've got a better chance of survival than soldiers in most war zones today," Belle said, sadly.

"They're fighting aliens," Rei dropped her voice to a low whisper, "aliens! They're not even on this planet. Who's to know what the heck's going on out there?"

Her friend bit down on her bottom lip, "Don't think about it," she stated.

"But-"

"No," Belle insisted, reaching across to grip Rei's arm, "Don't think about it. Trust me," she looked away, "…Or that sick feeling is never going to go away."

Rei nodded, once, a little taken aback at the brunette's tone. She nudged her lunch away with her free hand, noticing that Belle hadn't released her grip on her. When the girl finally looked back at her, she saw the same fear she felt in her companion's eyes. Rei sighed and rested a hand on Belle's, as both girls sat in a sudden deafening silence.

From across the cafeteria, Jason stared for a moment at the two girls. For a second, he caught Rei's gaze, but he looked away immediately and headed off. She looked completely lost. In that moment, she looked almost broken. The part of him that was still angry with her was glad, glad that she knew what it was like to be so afraid you were going to lose someone. He and Belle had lived with that fear for years, they had had to grow up quickly. They had no idea about the status of his father. At least that morning she had known her mother was still alive. But still…he wouldn't have forced that kind of fear on anyone. Even if he and Rei didn't see eye to eye on a lot of issues, it didn't mean he actually wanted her to be so upset.

He stopped just outside the cafeteria and looked back. He wanted, and needed, Belle's support as much as he suspected she needed his. And even if he wanted to comfort Rei too, he knew he shouldn't. Telling her everything would be alright would be a lie. He shouldn't want to be near her. She wasn't one of them. If his mother ever knew he even valued her as a friend…

But maybe Belle was right too. The history between their parents shouldn't have any bearing on the choices they made. It was he who was dragging the past up, a past he hadn't even known or experienced, determined to cause more conflict. If Rei was as bad tempered and stubborn as he was, then wasn't it all to the good? He wouldn't have been able to stand her if she had shied away and not dared to talk back to him.

Jason took a step back toward the cafeteria. He could just make out the figures of the girls through the crowd. Rei with her head bowed, Belle staring off into some distance only she could see. He shook his head and headed for his original destination.

Maybe he'd deal with things once he knew whether he'd lost a parent or not.

-

Jack mumbled a curse that came out as some sort of slurred, incomprehensible gibberish, thanks to his broken jaw. Taunting Satra that Ba'al had been better at the whole torture deal probably hadn't been a good move. He wasn't sure how many times he had died and been revived now. Every time he tried to actually count, all his mind provided was 'a lot'.

Turning him inside, what Satra had claimed she was going to do, was almost exactly what she had done. Literally. It seemed she knew just how far she could push a human body, inflict enough pain and damage to teeter on the edge of life for an agonising amount of time. He remembered blood. A lot of blood. His blood.

Jack had, of course, learnt to keep secrets in his life. Not all of the training to keep said secrets was entirely legal or sanctioned, but he was very thankful for it now. The supposed 'goddess' hadn't been able to extract the co-ordinates for Earth from his mind. She did, however, know for sure that he was one of the ones who had planned to, and kidnapped, her daughter. And a whole lot about his life, even before he joined the SGC. Satra had been furious when he'd spoken of killing her father. He had to admit he had got a kick out of it. Then a literal kick and knife in the back before the darkness claimed him again.

They were going to destroy her anyway. Whilst she was building her armies and making sure her seat of power was actually a seat of power and not just a fold down picnic chair. Her grip on power was unstable – she couldn't rule through fear forever. Whether they destroyed her to save him or not, it didn't matter. They would come because they had planned to, at some point, all along. The daughter was the tool, the means to an end, the weak link. She had become more than a bargaining chip. Exactly why Satra was so desperate to get her back.

"Perhaps when I am through with you and my beloved child returns, she will have as much fun tormenting you as I have…"

Nerve endings screamed high above the gentle laugh of the goddess as Jack heard himself cry out.

Before he died another death.


	20. Drowning

"You are awake again, I see."

"Still observant, aint ya?" Jack drawled. He couldn't be bothered to even sit up, muscles aching and head pounding. So much for renewing life and health. He swore he could feel every one of the deaths he'd died.

Satra rolled her eyes and stepped away, considering it beneath her to drag him from the sarcouphagus herself. Perhaps she had gone a step too far this time. He was hardly likely to talk if he wouldn't even move on his own. Though it did depend on whether he was actually unable or simply unwilling.

"This is getting boring for both of us, General," she sighed, "You will not tell me what I want to know and I can see no end to this torture."

Jack smirked, "Yours or mine?"

"Both," she replied. She wandered slowly across the room and arranged herself in one of the window seats, "I could simply bypass you altogether and, say, just invade your planet."

"Can't," he shot back.

Satra raised her eyebrows, "Try me."

He sat up and clambered painfully from the sarcouphagus, "You don't know where it is. And it's a protected planet."

"You think I care for those ancient laws?"

"I think you'll care when the Asgard decide to kick your ass."

"And break the laws they so highly value and leave their own planets open to attack? I think not," Satra sat up straight and suddenly smiled brightly, "None of this matters, you know. All I want is my child back. Give her back to me and we can forget all this…unpleasantness."

"Now, you see, there I'd have to dial Earth and you'd know the address. Plus, if we gave her back, you'd only continue your wonderful plans for galactic domination," he answered.

"Who said I'm stopping at this galaxy?" her smile broadened.

Jack frowned, "What's so great about this kid anyway? She's just a girl. Harsesis, I'll grant you, but why so desperate to get her back?"

The smile vanished, "You have no idea of the pains I went through to produce that girl. I had to relinquish control until her birth. I had to sit here, under the guard of my own men, and listen to the woman you say rightfully owns this body wail on and on and on and on…"

"Yeah, not exactly painting yourself in a sympathetic light here."

"That 'girl' has more knowledge than even I. I might remember thousands of years of history…" Satra halted, eyes narrowing, "…Why did I never think of this before…"

"I guess the torture was just too damn fun," Jack quipped.

"Ra knew the location of your planet…"

"That he did. With the domination and ego trips and the influencing the course of our history and all…"

"…Why don't I remember?" she uttered.

For the first time, Jack properly looked at the woman who had spent the past few days repeatedly ending his life. She was little more than a girl. The daughter was, what, in her mid teens? Maybe she wasn't so young. She did seem to have a strange fascination with the sarcouphagus after all. And who knew what other technology she had stashed away somewhere?

"Why don't I remember?" Satra shrieked. She grabbed a nearby staff weapon from the wall and fired directly over Jack's head, clipping the sarcouphagus instead. Energy crackled around it, and, whilst Jack was expecting an explosion, the energy fizzed into silence and only the light within the box went out.

"Age?" he smiled sweetly.

She snatched a series of curved blades from a band at her waist, and didn't hesitate in hurling the first at him, "Quiet!"

Jack hit the floor, strangely relieved to be lying down again. The pain made his head swim and he was sure the stain on his hands was blood, but somehow, at that moment, the series of events didn't quite compute.

Satra threw another of the weapons, which caught him just below where the first had struck him. A third and a fourth followed. As she prepared to throw the fifth, the chime for the door to the chamber interrupted her. She growled and gripped the blade tighter, only causing herself an injury, "Enter!"

"There have been no reports from our people stationed outside for some time," a Jaffa informed her.

"Our people?" she echoed.

"Your people," he bowed his head.

Satra glanced back at the barely conscious form of her prey on the floor, "…Well…perhaps he was right all along…unless _your_ people truly are incompetent…perhaps they do intend to rescue him," she smiled, "No matter, I'm sure one of them will talk if he will not. …If it is his people at all," she looked back at the Jaffa, "Show me," she stated, sweeping out of the room ahead of him, dripping blood herself.

Clearly she thought he was near death. She had neglected to close the door. Why bother caging something that can't make an escape attempt anyway?

For a split second Jack would have begged to have been placed back in the sarcouphagus. If it even worked anymore.

Knowing it was a foolish idea, he yanked one of the blades from his stomach. Then another, ignoring the fact that he had always been told to leave a weapon in, no matter how bad the pain was, if only to staunch the blood flow. A pool formed around him and he blacked out there and then.

-

"We have every code for every room Mery has ever been inside in this complex," Sam stared almost mournfully down at the body of the Jaffa at her feet. Some enemies they had stunned, others they had killed. It had been years since she had…killed. It shocked her that the most prominent thought in her mind on that subject was the knowledge that her children, if they ever knew, would be disgusted with her.

"If Satra hasn't changed the codes," Daniel said.

"We have to assume she has enough faith in her daughter not to talk. That, or the belief that we leave our fallen behind for good…" Janet answered.

"Yeah, well I doubt Jack's been quiet on the 'we're so gonna kick your ass' front."

"The longer we discuss matters, the less time we have to rescue O'Neill," Rya'c seemed rather impatient.

Teal'c agreed as he stepped over another body to input the code required to open the first set of doors…according to Mery. His companions backed off and took up posts protected by the walls on either side, out of sight.

The group stared at the doors as they failed to open immediately. A wave of panic began to wash over at least three of the team when nothing happened instantly.

"We haven't come this far to-"

The doors slowly slid open to reveal a solitary Jaffa who was swiftly struck in the head with the blunt end of the staff weapon Teal'c carried.

"We split up, like we spoke of. Daniel, you're with me. Janet, Teal'c, Rya'c, you head for the power centre Mery talked about. We're headed to investigate Satra's chambers," Sam murmured, "Radio silence unless assistance is needed. Last thing we need is to be given away if we're getting somewhere."

"Keep safe," Janet whispered.

"You too," she nodded, "All of you," she stressed. She thought she was doing the right thing. Janet had less experience in combat, so by sending her with Teal'c and Rya'c, she believed she was giving her greater protection. Keeping her and Daniel together was always a bad idea, especially if emotions ever got in the way during battle. She had let it get in the way before…she was even letting it affect her now. But if she split her friends up she believed they had a greater chance of surviving whatever they were heading into.

Teal'c and his son seemed impatient to get on with the mission, and so headed inside before the rest of their team. Janet dodged out from her hiding place to join them, glancing back at her friends for a brief moment.

Sam thought she saw her mouth the words 'good luck' and she hoped her belated smile reached her before she looked back round.

"Well…" Daniel swept an arm before him, "Ladies first…" he joked.

She raised an eyebrow and headed inside, "Satra's chambers are on the outer ring."

"I remember."

-

At school, Harriet shivered and sniffed, trying to hold back her tears. Everything seemed so much worse when her parents' anxiety was mixed together. Her father's fear and anger when on missions was sometimes enough to overwhelm her, but with both of them concerned and afraid her pain was doubled. Nobody understood. Most of her class just thought she was a cry-baby. But most of their parents were safe and able to hide their emotions from their children – her class would never feel them as literally as she always had to.

A tear hit the paper before her and smeared the outline of her drawing.

-

Rei was sitting in class, trying to stare straight ahead and pay no attention to the fact that Jason was seated right behind her. Their teacher was rambling on overly enthusiastically, which somehow only managed to dull her own enthusiasm. Though, thankfully, it meant the teacher was paying less attention to the antics of her class. Two girls across from her were even braiding each other's hair. Rei thought that in particular was rather childish for the age they were, but each to their own, she supposed.

She jumped as a wad of paper landed by her feet. She heard Jason mutter a curse and almost glanced round, but instead she reached to pick up the folded paper. Keeping it hidden in her lap, she unfolded it again and again and again until she thought it almost wasn't worth the effort of all the unfolding.

'_I'm sorry. For a lot of things. I'm an ass and you won't be the last person to learn that. Jay.'_

Rei folded the note back up again and slowly turned round in her seat, checking the teacher wasn't watching. She met Jason's gaze for a moment, expression solemn.

He nodded, once, as did she.

He might be sorry, and she might accept his apology…but neither knew if they could forgive each other yet.

-

Daniel was surprised they hadn't been ambushed sooner when they finally were confronted with several Jaffa, a group that included several figures who weren't even Jaffa, just other humans in the service of their mistress. Even women amongst them.

Sam ducked and took one of the guards down with a zat gun. She stared at the polished floor as she caught sight of several drops of blood leading down the corridor and into one of the few open rooms. Aggravated, she shot two of the female figures in the legs numerous times with her P-90 as Daniel hit another of the Jaffa.

He seemed to have noticed the same thing, "Go!" he shouted.

"But-"

"I'll catch you up, go!" he insisted.

She scrambled to her feet, ducking another zat blast. She shot one of the Jaffa in the back of the head and ran as fast as she could down the corridor, following the trail of blood. Sam skidded to a halt outside the room it led into, and stopped only to scan the room for any other guards. She was so busy doing that that she almost missed the body and the red pool on the floor.

Sam ran for the body, falling to her knees beside it. Shaking, she gripping its shoulders gently and shook it, "…Sir?"

"…Well…this is new…" Jack groggily mumbled. He brought a bloodstained hand up and waved it before his eyes, detached from the whole situation. He wasn't even sure if it hurt anymore. He couldn't even remember why he was bleeding.

"Oh…god…" she was literally kneeling in a pool of his blood. It soaked through her BDU's and dripped from her fingers as she desperately tried to think of a way to fix things. So much blood. Too much blood. There was no way she could try and do anything with field first aid.

He almost laughed. If Carter thought the situation was hopeless then he was a goner for sure. He tried to sit up, but only succeeded in causing himself some pain he could actually feel over the light headedness of his blood loss. He mumbled something that sounded like a curse and simply lay there, staring up at her, eyes a little glazed over, vision swimming.

"General…"

Were there tears in her eyes? Damn, it really was hopeless.

"…Drop it, Carter…" Jack breathed, "…Give it…up…"

"We can fix this," she nodded, glancing over her shoulder. The sound of gunfire was only getting closer. That meant help, right? She looked back at her fallen former CO and tried to decide which wound to put pressure on. As stupid as it sounded, she was almost worried to apply any pressure at all, in case it only encouraged blood to pour from his other wounds or the blades to dig deeper, "…We can fix it…" Sam insisted, "We can…"

She wasn't even sure if Janet could fix it…if anyone could fix it at all…

"Don't be…stupid…it's the thought that counts…just run, get out of…here…" he mumbled.

Sam shook her head, "No. No, we got this far, we aren't leaving without you," she narrowed her eyes, "She did this, didn't she? Satra. I swear I'll-"

"Carter," he tried to raise his voice, "Sam, listen. Go. Now," he exhaled raggedly, "…I'm too old for this…"

"No."

"Sam! For god's sake, just do this one thing!" Jack coughed as his lungs protested the swift intake of air and he was sure he felt blood trickle from the corner of his mouth.

"No, not again," she said, "No." She reached for her radio, "Janet. Teal'c, Rya'c, come in. I've found General O'Neill. Urgent assistance needed, outer ring, Satra's chambers, the sixth room, over."

His eyes fell shut, "…Casualty of war…happens…go."

"They'll be here in a moment, they can help. Daniel's just down the corridor…and Janet can help," Sam countered.

"Its time…" he forced his eyes open again, "Tell 'em I love them…family…"

She nodded. Of course she would, "…I will…" She suddenly lost her temper and struck blood stained hands on the ground, twisting to shout behind her, "JANET! DANIEL! TEAL'C!" her shoulders sagged, "RYA'C!"

Jack smiled slightly, "…Give it up…"

"No…no…" she moaned, "No…this isn't happening…" now the tears she had been holding back did fall, "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…for everything…"

"Who isn't…?" he tried to quip. He coughed again, "…Me too…"

Sam smiled sadly, shaking, "…I…I love you…you know?" she said softly.

"…Yep…" he tried another joke. Jack managed to focus briefly, "…You too…"

"We were so-"

Two staff blasts struck her in the back and she slumped silently over the still form beneath her.


	21. Peace

She stood staring down at the small plaque before her imbedded in the ground, head tilted to one side, eyes glazed over and refusing to read the words she already knew by heart. She had spent more time than was probably healthy at this spot during the past few weeks. It had been over a month and she still felt empty inside. Numb, if she could ever claim to feel such a thing that by definition cannot be felt.

She couldn't piece it all together. She had, at the very beginning, been convinced that everything was simply a bad dream. That she was stressed and perhaps she was losing her mind just a little bit. She waited and waited to be released and to wake up, but the moment never came. Sometimes she wonders if its still coming, but she has already decided she cannot live the rest of her life hoping and praying that it is all a dream and she will wake up with everything as it was one day.

Rei found her eyes focused by accident and the name of her mother stared back at her in gold print.

Her brothers and sisters were still distraught. They couldn't comprehend how their mother was alive and just doing a desk job one minute and dead the next. Deep space radar telemetry didn't kill people. They moved and their mother died. The cover story was that a blood clot in her brain killed her. Her siblings didn't, and don't, want to question that, and the twins were too young to need to know graphic detail anyway.

She and her father are now strangely united in a secret they have to keep between them. He wasn't aware she knew anything at all until she uttered early one morning, when her siblings were gone from the room, that it wasn't a blood clot that killed her, was it? She spoke it as fact, telling him she knew everything she was never supposed to know without actually speaking the words. At that moment he had shaken his head and stated that no, it wasn't a clot that killed her. He wrote the letters 'S' 'G' and 'C' down on the back of one of their many condolence cards and she had nodded silently.

Her father refused the military funeral. Rei suspects he did it for her, to save her sanity that day. It would have been an ordinary military affair on the outside, but she, and he, would have known who the people in the uniforms really were and what they really did. What Samantha Carter had really done.

She had spent most of the last days with her mother arguing with her and questioning her about things she had no right to be involved in. Her words haunted her – how could she have been so horrible? How could she have doubted the woman who had always taken care of her and loved her without question?

Rei let her eyes fall closed in an attempt to hide her tears. She had slipped away from the house when she thought she wouldn't be missed, whilst her father was comforting her siblings once again. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing by what was supposed to be her mother's grave. There…there had been no body to bury. Her mother had died on an alien world, trying, from what she had been told, to help her old friends and comrades.

The breeze made the tags on the short chain dangling from her hand brush against each other and bounce silently away, almost distracting her for a moment.

"I'm not supposed to be here."

Rei didn't look round. She let the figure approach and didn't so much as twitch as they stood beside her.

"…I'm not actually supposed to know where…this is…"

She nodded, only to acknowledge that she had heard.

"…Belle told me where."

Rei nodded again. She supposed she should be kind and answer and not selfishly wallow in her grief. After all, she wasn't the only one grieving.

"…I…I visited your father's grave a few days ago," she admitted quietly, "…Belle had to tell me where it was too…"

Jason bowed his head, "…I think he would have preferred to go in the line of duty…he hated that he was getting old…" he said softly.

"Belle says her parents will never forgive themselves…"

"They tried to save them. The…the sarcophagus just wouldn't work…no power…malfunction…burn marks, they said…"

"I know…" Rei whispered.

"They barely escaped with their own lives. …They say Rya'c may never get the use of his arm back," he said, eyes fixed on the ground.

"…That's…Teal'c's son, Sa'rac's father, right?"

Jason nodded, "Yeah."

She looked up, unshed tears in her eyes, "They loved us, you know. My Mama, your father. They loved us. We weren't second best, they could never have lived with a life like that."

"…I'm sorry for the things I said about your mom…"

"I'm sorry for the things I thought about your father."

"…Mom's not coping well," he admitted, "…she's very…bitter…it was just bad timing…if Dad had gone through the 'Gate on any other mission it…it could just as well have happened then…"

"About as bitter as my Dad?" Rei glanced at him.

"I'd say so," he sighed.

"They'll let it go…they have to…they understand, really…they just…hurt right now…like we all do."

Jason took a deep breath and pulled the chain round his neck over his head, "You ready?"

Rei nodded, "I guess…"

She held up her shorter length of chain and undid the clasp as he paused and gazed at the tags on the chain he held. Rei met his gaze and linked the chains together so one set of dog tags hung from the chain on which the others were threaded.

Jason raised the linked sets of tags above the plaque bearing Sam's name. Both teens' gazes rested on them as they watched them swing slowly to a stop.

'_O'Neill, Jack', 'Carter, Samantha'_

"Do you think they've found peace?" Rei murmured.

"…I hope so," Jason replied quietly, "…I hope so."

_Twelve Years Later_

_A tall young woman in her late twenties, clad smartly in USAF dress blues, confidently strode the corridors of the unit where the individual she was searching for resided. The person being not quite a prisoner and not quite a free being, the officer had to use her security codes to gain access to several areas of the facility, and even though her unease grew with each step, she wasn't going to turn back. She had come this far._

_She had heard great things of whom she was intending to visit. Of her reform and of her true nature and of how helpful the girl, no, well, the woman now, had been in providing much needed information._

_Still, she was headed to face someone she should have considered an enemy, who had played a part in the destruction of not only her mother, but the father of her fiancé. Though, truthfully, the girl had done nothing wrong, and had been through more torture in her life than she ever expected to. Apparently the girl was quite sweet tempered now._

_She had known what she getting herself into when she finally formed a relationship with Jason. History could have repeated itself all over again. But then, she had been armed with the knowledge and the devotion of her mother's closest friends. They worked tirelessly to ensure they would not be put through the same ordeal, that their relationship would not be forbidden by the workplace. Whether it was guilt or pain that urged them to do so, she never knew, but she knew that Daniel Jackson, Janet Frasier, and Teal'c had not been the same for many years after their ill-fated mission._

_She sat herself down opposite the woman she hoped would soon be her charge. She studied her for a moment – she looked perfectly normal and human. Auburn hair loose to her waist, wearing an orange sundress and white sandals._

_She self consciously reached to touch the plait of her dark hair before she began to speak, softly, "I'm Captain Rei Shanahan. I'm here to speak with you about joining a military unit to fight against the enemies of this planet and explore the known galaxies. So far, this unit is made up of Lieutenants Jackson and O'Neill, - I believe you've been given their profiles to read - and one of our Jaffa allies, the grandson of a legendary warrior – his name is Sa'rac…"_

_Rei smiled, "Hello, Mery."_

**Fin**


End file.
